Everyday, people send out resumes to online job listings and they are full of hope, only to be greatly disappointed when they check back the next morning and see no responses--"Damn!" Then, they do it again, "Damn!" and again, "Damn!" until they give up and rationalize, "There are no jobs out there."
In my discussions with the students in my job search/interviewing class we talked about the notion from my last post--going about the job search in a different way.
I get a lot of people who resist this different approach and I get many questions. For instance, "Mr Mattson, how do I find 30 to 50 companies I'd like to work for?" "What is a journal?" "How do I really find the hiring manager? Isn't there a 'gatekeeper' to keep me away from hiring managers?" "What do I say?" etc. These are all good questions and I will answer them all in future posts as we discuss them in class; however, there is a foundation I want to lay down first.
In most of the blogs I read, and the people (including students) I talk to, they complain about no results from the job listing boards, websites, and State employment offices. The complaint is similar to the following, "I spend hours sending out cover letters and resumes or filling out forms on websites and never hear back." My answer to this complaint is to quit doing it and do something else, clearly it isn't working.
My analogy is that of a fisherman. I am an avid sport salmon fisherman. Fishing for salmon is like fishing for a job, it is easy to do; however, catching is the hard part. When a school of salmon are running through a body of water heading to or up a stream, everyone can catch a salmon. When the economy is good and everyone is hiring, everyone who wants a job can catch one.
However, when the salmon are not returning to their stream, you have to hunt for the resident salmon that don't head out into the ocean during the winter. They are there; but, you have to find them before you can catch them. Again, let me reiterate, finding them isn't good enough--you need the skills to catch one.
During this part of the year (winter), not many folks are out fishing because they don't believe there are any salmon out there; however, I used to see a few people catch salmon when everyone thought they were gone. I watched these guys, asked questions, listened, and learned the skills to catch salmon outside the seasonal runs. Here is how you do it.
You have to find their (the salmon's) hang outs. It is usually close to shores where there is a steep drop in depth. Once you find those areas (I did it by following the people catching salmon), then you have to try different things--I like to call it "audience analysis." Analyze the salmon and find out what they want. (This is good advice for effective communication in everyday life too.)
I usually start off with the bait of my choice--a herring--why not? Its worked before and I like it. There is a clear problem here with my reasoning; it is the bait of my choice. Do you see the problem here? I'm not going to catch a salmon with what I'd like, it has to be what the salmon like.
If herring works at 40 feet deep, then I had a good quick day. (If sending out a resume to an online job listing works, then you had a good day too.)
If it doesn't work, I have to try something else. I can drag herring around all day and conclude, "there are no salmon out there." However, I'd be wrong, the fish are there, I was using the wrong bait, I didn't try to find out what the salmon wanted. Listening to fisherman claiming there are no fish (jobs) out there based on the information of doing the same thing the same way all day is clearly insanity.
Here's the pay off.
If the herring doesn't work, I try a squid, if that doesn't work, I try a spoon, if that doesn't work, I try a spinner, if that doesn't work, I try a buzz bomb, etc. Ah, if only it was that simple, I have to try these different baits at different depths too and I have to change my presentations: for instance, the length of my leader line, whether or not to use a flasher, what color flasher, etc. Maybe the fish like the squid; but the ones at 40 feet aren't hungry, so I have to try 60 feet or 100 feet or 190 feet, etc. There are many combinations I must try and the timing is important too--usually the fish eat at tide changes. You can see how complicated this can get, same with the job search--finding the salmon (calling companies where you'd like to work), bait (communicating your skills that the hiring manager needs), depth (who you talk to in the organization), presentation (how you communicate and present yourself), and timing (you have to make many contacts).
It is hard, time consuming, and it takes work; however, with persistence and patience, I usually get a salmon. But, not every time out, I have to go out again and again sometimes. Remember, fishing isn't that hard, catching is the hard part. Sending out resumes by the hundreds with cover letters isn't that hard; finding a job opening without competing with thousands of others with your skills is hard; but the rewards are great.
I prefer fishing when the salmon aren't "running," I don't have competition for the salmon and I am out relaxing in open water as I am not side by side with thousands of other boats filled with fishermen stretched across the entrance to a river competing for the same fish.
Try a different way to search for a job and you won't have any competition either. Who wants to get up in the morning and be disappointed when you open your email day after day? And you won't be sitting in a room full of other applicants if you do get that prized call back email.
If you take this attitude (try something different) towards the job search, you will find a job quicker than you thought possible--possibly several job offers.
There is a two fish limit on salmon; but, no limit on job offers.
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