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What Wikipedia doesn’t tell you about Online Job Hunting

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If you are one of the many thousands of job hunters who search for new jobs online, then you’re likely spending 90% of your time sifting through the major jobsites on your computer or your mobile.

But did you know that only approx. 30 – 35% of all the jobs are advertised in those major jobsites, yet approx. 70 % of all job hunters look and apply for those jobs? Scary thought, isn’t it?
Did you also know that a majority of job openings are never advertised in the traditional jobsites? Probably not.

It also wouldn’t surprise me if you aren’t up to speed with today’s new interview processes and length; how many other candidates are competing for the same job; or how much money you could lose if you don’t know how to negotiate your salary. Job searching and everything that comes with it has changed dramatically in the last few years, and there’s a lot you probably don’t know.

Here are 7 things that you won’t find on Wikipedia:

1. There were nearly 390,000 job openings in Australia in 2014. About 70% of those available jobs were never advertised on the major job sites.
2. The average number of people who apply for any given job: 218. Only approximately 15% of those applicants get an interview.
3. Many employers and certainly most recruiters use talent-management software to screen resumes, weeding out up to 75% of applications before anyone ever looks at a resume or cover letter.
4. On average, interviews last less than 40 minutes. After that, it usually takes up to two weeks to hear from the company with their decision or the next step.
5. What general skills do employers look for before making an offer? About 36% look for resourcefulness and the ability to multitask; 31% look for self-initiative; 21% look for creativity and hands-on thinking and acting; and 12% look for something else in the candidate.
6. In Australia approximately 50 % of professionals are uncomfortable negotiating their salary. By not negotiating, an individual could stand to lose more than $300,000 by the time they reach the age of 60.
7. More than half (51%) of all hiring managers reported that a candidate rejected their job offer in 2014.

So, why is this information relevant to your job hunting efforts? … for many reasons.

Knowing that the average interview runs just 40 minutes, for example, is a good reminder that you have very little time to make a memorable impression on the employer. Knowing that software screens out ¾ of resumes before they are even looked at by a real person highlights the importance of knowing how to make it past these software gatekeepers.

The team at the new jobsite FOSSLR have helped us to gather the most important job search preparation tips and reminders, so you can manoeuvre through the online opportunities and snag yourself a job in 2015 without obsessing about the major jobsites and old fashioned ideas.

Are you ready?

Accept and recognise that job hunting has changed!  

“As far as your job search is concerned, it does not matter that you are great at your current or previous job. Period. It has little to zero bearing on your job search success rate,” Ryan Bennett from FOSSLR notes. “You need to seek out new and alternative job search methods, stop obsessing about the major jobsites and invest energy in learning the new processes and techniques.”

Please have a pitch.

“If you can’t introduce yourself in under 3 – 4 sentences, you will very likely lose me. You should be able to explain what you want as your next step and how you can create value by highlighting your DOING skills,” Bennett explains. This Introduction pitch is a MUST HAVE for online profiles, cover letters, networking, and even chatting with family and friends about your job search. If you are clear about your job search goals and what you want and if you come across as motivated and valuable, people will want to help you, recruiters will love to introduce you and employers will not hesitate to interview you.

Do online ‘right’!

Just because it’s online, does not mean that you can be unfocused and un-organised about your submissions. A crappie, half-hearted online profile and application won’t land you a job offer. It’ll eliminate you from the competition. And if you repeatedly do it, it may even get you blacklisted.

Results are all that counts.

”Employers care about results. They want to know what results you can deliver to them. So, your application documents and your online submissions and your interview should focus on tangible results,” Bennett says. “Remember to add numbers to substantiate your achievements and be as real and specific as possible. If you can, develop a story behind each of these accomplishments.” Job searching has a lot to do with selling yourself. If you need help to polish your sales skills, hire a coach.

Get with it!

What’s the latest trend, technology, or lingo in your industry that you need to be aware of? What companies are trending and competing with each other (and may be hiring)? Are there skills that you may need to learn or up-skill in order to be competitive in today’s job market? Are you comfortable with social media?

Use the power of your social network.

Remember that 70% of jobs that aren’t posted on the major jobsites. You’ll gain access to some of these through your network. If you invest the time to map it out, your network will be far bigger than you expect. Use this cool FOSSLR tool to get started and un-earth the power of your network.

Come prepared and follow up.

Seriously guys, this one is so important. Do your homework on the interviewer and the company so that you’re adequately prepared. Come to the interview with your own personal interview story and with questions for the interviewer – or stay away. Don’t waste anyone’s time. This will help you to stand out from other candidates. And – ensure to Follow Up. A week is a good amount of time if you haven’t heard back. The guys at TheJobSearchCoach can coach you how to conduct a successful Follow Up without falling into the usual communication black hole.

“REMEMBER job searching sucks and you are not alone with that experience,” he says. “Yet, that doesn’t reflect what you can do for an employer when you join their team.” Keep in mind the value you have to offer and review and focus on your abilities and previous accomplishments.

It’s important for job hunters to meet the challenges that exist and come prepared with a plan of action. Knowing what to do and how to do it is not enough, you have to DO IT or you will end up in the spam box of the ATS systems. So get cracking and if you need help with anything, contact us, we are happy to assist. In the meantime, remember to hunt wisely!
Uli

Six signs that your online networking skills suck

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Everyday, you and thousands of job hunters and professionals network online, but very few actually observe the basics to secure valuable and lasting connections or opportunities that can bring new business or a new job. Read more

How to Avoid Job hunter Burnout

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In a job hunting space as fast-paced as the online and mobile job ad world, you know there are many tasks you ‘should’ perform to reach more employers with your quest for a new job. Read more

3 Steps to Nail the “Over The Phone” Job Interview

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Hiring Managers often prefer phone interviews over Skype or informal interviews to screen potential new hires.  This helps employers to breeze and sort through candidates without committing to the expense and valuable time required for a 1st on-location job interview. Read more

How to dress for an informal interview

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There are first interviews, second interviews, phone, Skype, Google hangout interviews, lunch interviews, and group panel interviews and informal interviews.But all of these sessions have a purposes and most even have some kind of “best practices.” Read more

10 silly email signature mistakes highlighting to recruiters you’re OLD SCHOOL

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Almost every email sent from your mobile, tablet, laptop or even the old fashioned desktop contains an email signature of some sort. And some are weird, some are funny – some are shocking. Read more

How to Ace Your Skype Job Interviews

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You are an interview veteran. You’ve charmed and impressed hiring managers, recruiters and even whole panels with your personality and spot-on answers. In a nutshell, you’re a confident son of a bitch and you know that you’ll walk into any interview and leave with a new job offer. Surprise!! Your invitation for the 1st job interview is this time on Skype or Google Hangout. Ooops… Read more

Had a Bad Interview? Fix It Now and Get The Job

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No matter how experienced you are with interviews, there’s always the occasional white lie, slip up or maybe even stupid mistake or two. You know that moment when the cold sweat runs down the back of your shirt, when you need a solution PRONTO – or the job interview and the opportunity is botched in the blink of an eye. Read more

3 Job Exit Strategies to Turn Ex-employer(s) Into Your Best References

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Choosing to quit your job and joining the competition can be a risk, but one made easier if you join a competitor in an industry where you already have knowledge, connections and credibility. In that sense, the company you’re leaving can become a key asset and even your best references in your new career – if you exit properly – or an obstacle to your success if you burn bridges. Read more

5 Ways to Get a Job Without a Resume

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When job hunting, many people obsess over their resume. Is it the right length? The right format? Is it stylish enough? Well, I have some news for you: stop obsessing about your resume and look at some alternatives to score a job interview. Hiring managers and recruiters will love you for it.

Here are the ways to get a job without a resume:

Hiring professionals dislike the whole “resume” business as much as you do. If you offer any opportunity to avoid it, they happily welcome it and most will actually go for it. You will only end up as another resume in an ATS like most job hunters who like to do things the old-fashioned way by following the ‘rules’. There are other ways to get noticed by a hiring manager outside of tricking a computer with keywords…

I have five alternatives to save you time and get you right in front of the hiring professional.

# 1 Referrals from current and past employees

This one is great because employees who are referred to an organisation already have a personal connection through the past/present employee. Also, people who are referred to a job generally stay longer and are more engaged at work. Managers at all levels love this, which is an added bonus for you, the job seeker.

# 2 Recommendations from their own professional networks

The personal connection comes up again with this strategy. Your professional network can be a real asset if used effectively. The advice I can give you here is that you should research your connection and the position carefully to make sure they are a fit. If you get this wrong it can be a real tarnish on your reputation.

# 3 Connections on LinkedIn/Facebook

Following from #2, using your social networking platforms is a great idea. I’m not talking about putting a status update that says “So broke, need a job… LOL”, but using these platforms to create a personal connection. This is especially true for people who you may have worked/socialised with a few years ago, but have since drifted apart. Be strategic with who you talk to and about what you talk about. If you know someone in a position that can help you get a job, or can refer you to someone else, then these are the people to talk to. Always make sure that you are not too forthcoming with your needs – don’t forget these are people with their own feelings. Warm up the contact first with a brief catch up before bombarding them.

#4 Conversations with Twitter followers

Not many people know that twitter can be an awesome job search tool. This best kept secret won’t last forever, so you should definitely use this sooner rather than later. This post is a great starting point for those who don’t know where to begin. If you have been using twitter already, then check out this post for a more advanced guide.

# 5 cold-call introductions

If you’re feeling gutsy and ambitious, then cold calling an employer of choice is a great idea. Almost no one does it, and for good reason – it can be nerve wracking and intimidating. But for those who do this, the hiring manager will definitely remember you for being a go-getter. This is particularly important for companies that are not hiring. I’ve heard stories of positions being created for people who do this. It demonstrates the sort of value employers can never get enough of – determination. This is the sort of behaviour that can make you an asset to a business. To do this you need to have an angle – how can you help them? Can you solve a pain-point that they are currently experiencing? To answer these questions you need to do your research on the company

So there you have it, the above are all alternate methods that don’t rely on resumes by which hiring managers fill open positions. Have you ever used any of these, or used another strategy that worked? Tell us in the comments below.

As always, remember to Keep it Simple Sunshine

Jash