Next page
According to Harvard Business Review, you don’t need 100% of the job’s qualifications in order to apply for the job. In the article Art Markman says “If you’re completely qualified for the job you apply for, you aimed too low.” You’ll be able to “hit the ground running”, but you risk stagnating in place. At the same time, if you apply at jobs too highly nuanced
Next page
and beyond your reach, you risk never hearing from anyone at all. The requirements in the job description are often a dream list, but the core of the job will still need to be done by the person who is hired. If you get too far past your skillset, you risk getting over your head and let go as a result – and right back to job searching all over again.
Next page
The sweet spot is somewhere between 60-80% of the qualifications required. The lower entry of the job, usually the higher amount of qualifications required. It’s when the job is extremely specific and finding someone who has even some of the skills required is difficult that hiring managers are willing to bend on the other requirements.
Next page
We’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating because luck won’t cut it! Getting your resume past the computer system known as the Applicant Tracking System (also known as the ATS) is crucial when looking for work. To get into the nightclub, you have to get past the bouncer. Unlike humans, this robot doesn’t care what your
Next page
feelings are, so it’s better to show why your resume is a good fit. Matching the keywords from the job application to the relevant experience in your resume will make a world of difference.
Next page
It’s easy to get bummed out by applying over and over again, but missing messages is an easy way to lose out. You need to be clear about how to communicate with you, whether it’s by text messages only, by phone calls, or only directly through messages on LinkedIn. Once you have decided how to be contacted, it’s important to make sure
Next page
you stay on top of that. Having a full voicemail could prevent you from getting a job interview, and that’s a pretty easy fix.
Next page
That being said, you should also double-check everything that could be connected to your resume or LinkedIn profile. While it’s not legal for hiring managers to make a hiring decision based on someone’s personal social media, it’s also difficult to regulate and could be an issue. Changing your personal social media accounts settings to private should solve the problem.
Next page
The best way to improve your luck in your job search is to make sure that someone else is also invested in your success. Whether that’s a friend, a relative, or a potential business partner, networking always helps in the long run. One of the best parts of networking is that if you show what you can do in exchange, you may be able to help them
Next page
first. If you’re able to show what you’re capable of, they’re more likely to both remember you and help you out in the future.
Next page
Job searches are hard! It’s easy to get sucked into a low mindset when you don’t hear back from anyone or you get an interview, but not the job. Unfortunately, not everyone is hired immediately at a job they clearly want and can do. Try to remember that the job search process results are not always about you. Maybe the other candidate had more
Next page
qualifications, wanted less money, or is friends with the boss. Maybe the position itself isn’t stable and the budget to pay you isn’t there like the hiring manager thought. It’s not always about how you did in the interview, or how your resume looked. Sometimes it’s really about things beyond your control.
Next page
While that is frustrating, it’s also freeing because it means that the result isn’t entirely up to you. You can do the best you can and still not get the job. While rejection feels terrible at the time, it also frees you up for a position that is a better fit for you in the future. Just because you didn’t get this job doesn’t mean you can’t EVER have one or even have THAT one. It just
Next page
means you didn’t get that one right now. There is time and a world of opportunities out there, so try not to get bogged down about one position.
Next page
If you have tailored your resume to the job description to beat the ATS, improved your online presence, networked, and only applied where you have the most qualifications but still haven’t heard back, (and your good luck charms aren’t cutting it,) then it’s time to stop your job search and reach out to a staffing agency. Plenty of staffing agencies also have permanent positions
Next page
available, as well as temporary-to-permanent positions. This way, you can test out the job itself and see if it’s a good fit for you. Using a staffing agency means you get insight into what the place is like to work at, someone to keep an eye on the communication for you, and someone with inside information about what they
Next page
are looking for and what to expect. A recruiter can let you know how soon to expect feedback, what kind of feedback your resume gets, and what to look for in an interview.