Databases Do Not Deliver Jobs: People Do

I paraphrase in the title of this blog entry a statement made by Ask The Headhunter guru Nick Corcodilos in his e-mail newsletter this week.

One of the articles in this particular edition struck home for me because of some of the encounters I have had in recent weeks with prospective clients who had been using the job boards as their primary method of job search. Not surprisingly, they had been disappointed that hiring managers were not beating down their door with job offers.

As Nick points out to his reader who has applied for more than 250 positions via the Internet and recruiting agencies advertising online, the probable reason he hasn’t landed a position yet is that he is working exclusively through middlemen in an environment “awash with so many resumes and candidates that the value of the n-th candidate now approaches zero...”

Now I would not go quite so far as to say that Web-based job search is a total waste of time, as I have had a substantial number of clients land positions this way. But it is certainly true that the odds are not in your favor when a position posting can draw literally thousands of resumes. I advise my clients to use the job boards to a limited extent, but not to spend more than about 20% of their job search time doing so. The remainder of the time should be spent on identifying a small number of companies that interest you, researching them, and working to develop inside contacts. The objective is to make friends within the company and learn about what their challenges and needs are. At some point you’ll be able to get an introduction to the manager in the area where you want to work, but as Nick points out, make sure this is their idea, not yours.

Once you’re in the door, you need to be pre-armed with a good understanding of the company and its goals, opportunities, and challenges, and of specifically how you can help. Remember that no one is looking to hire someone to fill a position; they are looking to bring someone in who can meet a need.

The statistics vary depending on the study, but Nick estimates (and I believe he is likely correct) that about 60% of jobs are found and filled through personal contacts—not job postings. He says that the best recruiters fill only about 3% of all jobs, a percentage which I think is perhaps a bit low. However, the point is that initial 60% figure—your job search will be at best only about 40% as productive as it could be if you are not working a targeted personal contact strategy.

On the following I wholeheartedly agree with Nick: “Managers tend to hire people referred by people they know and trust.” In this blessed season, we focus greatly on our personal relationships and our circle of friends. Resolve in the New Year to take this mindset into your work life and make a relationship-building, personal approach your winning job search strategy.

Posted by Laurie Smith