- Post it to Job Boards
- Reply to Job Listings
- Apply directly to Companies
- Send it to Recruiters
Posting your resume to the job boards is what people do instinctively. You’re hoping that recruiters and companies will find your resume there through targeted searches and contact you about opportunities. Basically, they do all the work for you. What could be easier?
In practice this approach really only works if you have the in-demand skills and with at least 2 years of experience in those areas. Without that companies will likely see you as too junior and refuse to consider you. So if you don’t have the qualifications, expect to get a lot more spam than job leads.
If you reply to the jobs posted on places like Monster, HotJobs, etc., you are typically replying to recruiters, and in a few cases, directly to companies. You can also go to those companies’ web sites and apply directly. In both cases you need to be reasonably sure your qualifications match their requirements, and you’ll likely be competing with many other candidates. A good cover letter may help in this situation.
Finally, you can spam recruiters directly without any particular job in mind. This approach is perhaps the least likely to be successful. You have to be lucky and hope that when your resume crosses the recruiter’s desk it happens to exactly match the job they’re trying to fill at the moment, as recruiters have a rather short attention span. Otherwise your resume might get a cursory once-over and get placed into their database, or worse, into the virtual circular file.
So if these approaches all sound dismal, you shouldn’t fret. It’s all a numbers game, and the more you circulate your resume, the higher your odds are of landing the right job. Don’t give up!
2 comments:
Wow. I've been enjoying these posts up to this point, but this one could not be more wrong.
It’s all a numbers game, and the more you circulate your resume, the higher your odds are of landing the right job.
This is exactly the opposite of the truth, in my experience. The more you circulate your resume, the more likely you are to be buried under spam, scammed by disreputable recruiters, and ultimately left feeling discouraged and depressed.
Remember that there are many other folks looking for jobs at the same time. How are you going to distinguish yourself from the others? By being luckier? That's a recipe for both ulcers and disaster. Take some control yourself.
Spend your time doing careful research on your market: what companies are hiring people with your skills? Do you know anybody who knows somebody who works at a company that hires people with your skills? Make a list of a few companies that would be really good places for you to work. Research those companies carefully. Find a way to make contact with actual humans there -- does the company sponsor a charity? Volunteer for that charity. Does the company sponsor a user group? Go to the meetings. Check the alumni records for your school -- does someone else who went to your school work there? Send them an email. Maybe you know someone who works for a company that is a vendor for your target company. Doesn't matter how -- make a contact.
Do what you have to do to get your (well-honed) resume, along with a specifically tailored cover letter that makes it clear you understand that particular company, in front of someone there who can do something about it.
When I got my last job, I applied to positions on two different groups within one company. I literally sent out two resumes.
Next time I'm looking for a job I hope to send out one resume.
Admittedly it took me a while to get to this point, but I've tried the resume-flood approach. It doesn't fundamentally work, and even when it does happen to work, it's misery-inducing.
That's a valid perspective, but not everyone is willing or able to engage in such a targeted search.
Personally I see interviewing as analgous to dating. You could be very focused on who you're looking for and date just a few select people, or you can try the shotgun approach.
Some people will tell you not to waste time with dates who are a poor match; others will say that the more dates you go on, the better your odds of finding "the one". And after all, many people end up with someone they never dreamed they would connect with.
As an example, several times in my career I've gotten jobs at companies I'd never heard of and never would have pursued. It just happened that a recruter who got my resume from the job boards told me about these companies.
My point? Both approaches have merit. I just happen to fall on the "broad targeting" side of the aisle.
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