by Through speaking with experts in hiring I’ve learned accumulate some knowledge I had wished that I had known sooner when going through my own searches.
Below are some common mistake job-seekers make.
Casting too narrow of a net
People oftentimes inadvertently limit their search to only the companies they’ve heard of. But there are thousands of mid-market companies that you’ve probably never would have considered that could be a great match.
FAANG companies and other household names are top-of-mind when you ask job-seekers where they want to work. They say, “I want to work for Google” or “I want to work for Goldman Sachs.” These companies are great to work for and even better to have on your resume for applying to future jobs. The problem is because they are so well known their recruitment process is highly competitive. The probably that you’ll be a shoe-in is next to zero, even if you know someone there.
Ignoring local companies
Local companies offer one of the best perks: a shorter commute time. There are thousands of companies hungry to get their hands on someone “out of their league” so you might be the most favored applicant. Where you might be looking at a financial analyst role at a Fortune 500 company at a smaller company you might find yourself a step up in a controller role.
Small can often come with a higher level of personal satisfaction. If you would like to solve interesting problems and be close enough to issues where you can see the results of your work during your tenure you might be a good fit.
You can research these companies by looking at membership in business organizations like Rotary clubs or others. Oftentimes they are involved in some form of local philanthropy. Ask around, usually, leaders of mid-sized companies are very well connected with each other in a geographic region so while they might not have an opening at their own company that may know someone who’s looking for someone just like you.
Not setting up alerts on major job boards
The best way to conduct a search is with automation and systems. Too many people spend all day searching on job boards thinking that they are being productive. LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and most other boards have a feature that lets you create an alert. Set these up for the geographic area you’re interested in. Be sure to use key words relevant for your industry.
Now instead of hunting for jobs they’ll come to you. Every week you can sort through the listings and discard those that are not relevant to you. The key is to think of this exercise as a funnel. You want as many qualified jobs entering the top of the funnel. If you can filter some out ahead of time with alerts that is going to save you some time and leave you with better jobs to select from.
Not returning recruiter’s calls
Recruiters get a bad rap, especially in the technology space for the spray-and-pray method of outreach. Many of my friends and tech don’t even bother to return a recruiter’s call because they often don’t understand the needs of the client and it feels like a wild goose chase.
There are good recruiters and there are bad ones. Not all are bad.
If a recruiter reaches out to you and they seem reasonable, be kind to them and ask for more information and “interview them.” Also, ask your network for recommendations of recruiters they’ve used successfully. Like anything there are high performers who are excellent at what they do and those that are bottom-feeders. It reminds me of any sales role, like real estate broker where the rewards are high and the barriers to entry are relatively low. It attracts a lot of people who just want to make a quick buck. But if you find someone who’s a pro it will be a real asset to you.
Not tracking your progress
Day 1 you should setup an excel spreadsheet listing the below information. If you don’t manage your search effectively you are going to be spinning your wheels and wasting time.
- Company Name
- Company Location
- Company Distance (Minutes) from Home
- Job Title
- Salary Band (if this has been revealed)
- Notes
- Person Talked to
- Date
- Next Steps
A job search is no small task. I wish i could point out a sure-fire way to find a great fit quickly. The best searches start with casting a wide net, tapping your network, being effective how you use job boards, and tracking your progress.
What is one thing you found useful in your own job search? Leave in the comments below:
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