The job market is overflowing with contradictory stories, theories and advice. Every recruiter, career counselor, resume writer and columnist — myself included — has a different perspective on what works and doesn’t work.
But no matter how adamant we feel about our recommendations, job hunters need to make their own decisions. Only you know what is right for your career.
So, keep your eyes open for bad advice. Here are a few tidbits that you should flat-out ignore:
Apply for every job you can find. Job searching is not a numbers game. When you apply for hundreds of positions, it does not increase your chances of securing an interview. Hiring managers can tell immediately if your message was mass-mailed to numerous companies or if you took the time to prepare a targeted presentation that precisely fits the organization.
Instead of spamming your resume to every employer with an e-mail address, hone in on a few businesses that interest you. Research them inside and out. Then, create a personalized resume and cover letter for each one. Your goal is to capture the hiring manager’s interest. Make him or her appreciate your strengths and begin to calculate the dollar-sign value that you will bring to the workplace.
Network indiscriminately. Networking is good. It allows you to develop relationships that can lead to personal referrals — the fastest and most effective way to land a job. But haphazard networking will not advance your career. In fact, it can be a waste of time and energy.
Rather than collecting business cards and building an enormous list of names in your online network, focus your efforts on establishing authentic relationships that are rooted in trust. This takes time. But if you work at it, you’ll soon have a few honest, loyal referral sources who will appreciate your talents and contributions. These people will open doors, introduce you to potential bosses and vouch for you as the best candidate for the job.
Use a functional resume. For years, people have drafted functional resumes to change careers or cover up employment gaps. Unlike chronological resumes (which clearly define the job title, company, dates, responsibilities and accomplishments for every position), functional documents load up the first page of your resume with skills and achievements from your entire career. Beneath this hodgepodge of information is an unadorned list of job titles and company names. It’s up to employers to connect the dots and try to figure out which details belong with each job.
Not only are functional resumes maddening for hiring managers, they are useless when it comes to online job searching. The latest keyword-scanning technologies are triggered by job titles and dates. If you have all of your keywords lumped at the beginning of your resume, these technologies will not find any keywords at all. You are invisible, and out of the running with no chance of landing an interview.
Instead of relying on this outdated format, create your own blended style that capitalizes on the best aspects of functional and chronological documents. Develop an eye-catching profile that showcases your stand-out qualities. Insert some bullets to emphasize special skills. Then, highlight your positions in a way that seizes the attention of both scanning technologies and human beings.
Eve can be reached at Eve.GetaJob@gmail.com.
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