Mastering the Job-Hunt: 5 Tips for Landing Your Dream Job

The world of work has evolved considerably over the last decade. These changes have affected everything from the types of positions available to the process we go about in order to attain them. Some say these changes are the result of an economic downturn in 2008 and the perceived job scarcity that came with it, others are convinced it is a result of new technologies and a fundamental shift in how we view the nature of work. In my opinion its both and then some.

If you are reading this article then I assume you, like many people, have been on the job-hunt. You have submitted resume after resume and struggled to get an interview much less a job offer. If this is you, I feel your pain. We all want to find that next opportunity that is going to take our careers to the next level, and when we do, we want it to be easy; ie. Send a Resume, Have an Interview, Get Hired. This is just no longer the case.

As the author of What Color is Your Parachute, Richard Bolles said, "The tipping point was 2008. We all know what happened then: the so-called Great Recession, the worst financial disaster since the Great Depression in 1929. We have recovered, but the landscape has been fundamentally altered, long-term." (Page 2)¹

As the unemployment numbers rose, employers fundamentally changed their tactics because now, instead of struggling to fill their vacancies, businesses were overwhelmed with options for high-quality candidates. If you want to find success in this new market, you need to become more aware of how the employer views the hiring process and position yourself to be successful in this paradigm. While job seekers want their approach to the job market to be a hiring game, it is important to remember that the employer regards it as an elimination process up until the very last moments when they are sure they want someone.

On average, a new vacancy receives between 118 and 250 responses, but employers only want to interview 5-6 potential candidates. (Page 13)¹ This makes the traditional approach of submitting resumes incredibly ineffective. In fact, a recent study showed that searching job postings on the internet works out only about 4% of the time and submitting your resume works out about 7% of the time. (Page 102-103)¹ This can be incredibly frustrating and time-consuming.

So how has the landscape changed? Well, from 1994 - 2008 about half of the unemployed workers found a new position within 5 weeks or less, and less than 10% were looking for work for more than a year. Today, most people are spending a lot more time searching. 44% are taking 1- 3 months and about 20% - 30% of unemployed people are spending more than a year looking for work before finding a job, and many others have settled for part-time or contract work and are underemployed. (Page 3)¹

For you its all about time, "How can I get myself in front of the most employers and increase the number of opportunities I have available to me?" For the employer, its all about risk.

You see, bringing a new person up to speed is a hefty investment for a company, and if they decide to invest in you, they want to be sure that investment is going to pay off. Organizations would much rather hire someone who they already have experience working with because they know first hand what to expect. This can mean internal promotions, transitioning former associates from part-time or contract work into a full-time position, or offering a temporary position, with the idea of hiring someone full time that is a perfect fit. Their minds set is "I want to hire someone whose work I have already seen."

This brings us to the first of our five tips for landing your dream job.

TIP # 1 See if you can get hired at the organization you want to work for as a temp, contract worker, or consultant first - then set your sights on your dream role only after you have had a chance to impress them.

Sometimes finding a way into an organization can be extraordinarily difficult, especially when you want to work for a large, well-known company that draws a lot of attention from the hiring market. To be considered at one of these institutions you almost always need to know someone on the inside. A good way to meet these people is through informational interviews.

TIP # 2 Have informational interviews with people in positions that interest you to create relationships with "bridge people" that can connect you with your dream job.

For ideas on creating new relationships, See our post on Networking.

Remember HR's Main function is to eliminate potential candidates so that the hiring manager only needs to interview 5-6 of the 200+ potential candidates. For this reason, try to avoid them as your first point of contact if you can. If you have no choice, make sure you are as prepared as possible.

TIP # 3 Have an up to date resume and portfolio of work that showcases your expertise, with examples of your work and testimonials from co-workers, supervisors, and clients.

The most popular option for this is a site like LinkedIn, you can also create a custom website or an industry blog to differentiate your self from other candidates.

Not everyone is going to get that top position at Google on their first try. If you're trying for a coveted role, Great! Just know it will be extremely competitive and be prepared to pull out all the stops if you want to stand out. However, if being at a number 1 firm is not your top priority I would recommend you expand your search horizons beyond companies you are aware of.

While Google receives more than 2 million applicants a year (Forbs). 85% of small businesses looking to fill open positions found no applicants according to a report released in January of 2018 (NFIB), and between 2009 and 2011 small firms accounted for 67% of the net new jobs (SBA).

TIP # 4 Approach small businesses, even if they don't have a job posting in your desired role. Focus on organizations that align with your passions and have between 20 and 100 employees.

You will find it much easier to connect with these companies and get through the gatekeepers, but once you are through, you want to be sure you can talk to your strengths and how you would be an asset for the firm. This brings us to our final and most important point.

TIP # 5 Start with a full self-inventory so that you fully understand yourself, your skills, your desired workspace, and most importantly your mission/purpose for your career.

Really knowing yourself and the reasons behind your choices will not only help make your choices clearer, but employers will also be much more likely to hire you.

In Fact, in What Color is Your Parachute, Richard says the self-inventory approach, "faithfully followed, step by step, works 86% of the time." Meaning that 86 out of 100 people who follow this method find a job. (Page 111)¹

If you are currently on the job hunt and are struggling, I would definitely recommend checking out this book. In addition to being a helpful resource for mastering the job hunt, It is filled with links to useful resources and activities to help you actually take action and start your journey towards your dream career.

If you are looking for an exciting Career in the Collision Repair Industry, check out the job board at Fix Auto USA for your next exciting opportunity.

Sources:

1. Bolles, Richard Nelson. What Color Is Your Parachute? 2017: a Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers. Ten Speed Press, 2017.

Maxwell Masters

 About The Author

Maxwell Masters specializes in helping collision repair business grow and scale their business through the Fix Auto Platform. He is passionate about saving California and supports the 10X Movement. Maxwell also works with high school and college students to imbue them with the D.R.E.A.M. Mindset™ and help them find success in their future careers.

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