Finding a Job in 2008: The Hunt

Categorized | Jeff McCord, career

Tags | career, economy, employment, finding a job, recruiting

Finding a Job in 2008: The Hunt

Posted on 03 June 2008 by Jeff McCord

I've been a recruiter, professionally, for nine years. Recently, it seems more and more people are asking me about the best ways to find a job or how to improve their resumes and cover letters. It's obvious, no matter which political side you sit on, that our economy is taking a major hit. Employers are beginning to lay off people, albeit ever-so-secretly, but it's happening. Employees are realizing that they need a job that pays more money since gasoline is up so high, the cost of food has radically increased and their economic stimulus check has already been spent. I decided that maybe I should try to shed some light, from a recruiter's perspective, on the best ways for someone to land a job.

One of the biggest misconceptions in finding a job is the resume. We've been taught that the resume can only be one page. We've been taught that a resume should detail every thing you've ever done in your professional life. We may have also been taught that adding personal statistics can liven up a resume. I'm here to tell you, these are all false. Resumes are no longer one-page identities of your professional life.

Statistically speaking, people "job hop" more and more, especially in our younger generations. However, with that said, it's never a good idea for a resume to be a book. Your resume needs to be a concise, descriptive and quick reading. It's true when you hear that recruiters only take a minute or two to look over a resume. I'm proof of that. You have to keep in mind that we get HUNDREDS of resumes a day. Literally. I don't have the time to look over one hundred resumes in full detail. It's impossible, so keep it concise yet reflective of what you can do best. And for the love of all that's holy, we don't need to know that you're divorced with three children who are all Boy Scouts. Keep the personal statistics to yourself, in regards to a resume.

So now that we have that out of the way, here's my two cents. Network, network, network. The days of Monster and CareerBuilder being the only places that lists openings are over. If you haven't created a profile on LinkedIn, you need to do that immediately. Don't just create a profile, though. You need to interact on LinkedIn (a social network for professionals) daily. The more connections you have, the more opportunities you can find. Also, do you attend any type of group meetings, clubs or organizations relative to your job profession?

For example, if I'm recruiting for a designer for the ad agency I'm employed with, my best bet is to find him/her at a local designer organization/club/association. Or I simply pick up the phone and call every designer I know and ask if they have anyone they would recommend. Referrals are really the best way recruiters and companies obtain the best talent. So network, network, network.

Here's the bottom line. No one is safe in this economy. Just because I'm a recruiter doesn't mean I don't risk getting laid off. So keep your resume updated and keep interacting with social networks so you can meet people that you would never have the chance in real life to meet. If you know of any openings, then let your friends and colleagues know. Karma works in the job search too!

What are your thoughts? Have you found any advice that works best for you in regards to finding a job? Where do you network? I would love to hear your comments below!

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2 Comments For This Post

Daniel Dessinger Says:
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:12 pm
I have to second the networking. Years ago, I read tons of blog posts and articles admonishing me to network in order to land the right job. I knew it was probably true, but I hated the thought of showing up at random organization’s meeting, knowing no one, and handing out my business cards like a lost puppy in search of a home.

It turns out that time, a couple connections, and a willing attitude will exponentially grow in a short time. I had virtually no connections just five years ago.

Everyone wants to look back to some favor they did for someone in college and claim it as the beginning of their professional career in an industry. But the truth is, web-related careers haven’t been around very long. The learning curve is steep, and two years on the Web can mean a LOT more experience than traditional employees would believe.

Don’t despise social networking online. LinkedIn and Twitter are excellent tools for showcasing your talent, expressing your abilities as a thought leader, and getting comfortable with a group of global professionals who (given the right opportunity) can further your career faster than you know.
Daniel Dessinger Says:
June 4th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
FYI, we might not get a post published today, due to an email spam onslaught that has buried all our writers’ submissions under 20,000 emails of pure adulterated spam.

We’ll have more articles published soon (and find a better spam filter).