To paraphrase
one of Isaac Newton’s Laws of Physics,
and apply the theory to job-hunting, we can restate it as: A job search in motion tends to stay in motion, while a job search at
rest tends to stay at rest.
Putting a job
search in motion from an inert state demands a horrendous effort. Most job
seekers are not up to the challenge. In the alternative, they saunter down the
paths of least resistance.
Many might think
that those who are unemployed will have more time available to devote to a
comprehensive job search. Reality shouts otherwise. Hosts of other issues kick
in, which in turn slow down job-hunting motion.
The top three motion-slowing
issues include fear of failure, lack of networking and poor routines. Volumes have been written
on the fear of failure. The synopsis
version is that it can result in various stages of depression, panic attacks
and irrational behaviors.
As for the lack
of networking, that contributes to lost
opportunities, as well as a wide assortment of poor strategic planning issues. The
problems generated from poor networking are exhaustive.
Aside from networking,
poor routines result in lack of organization, time management and ability to
take decisive action. Taken individually, these issues might not spoil a
job-search effort, but collectively, they contribute to failure.
Those gainfully
employed tend to avoid these issues. Being employed tends to reduce the fear
factor. It lowers—but does not necessarily eliminate—the possibility of being
able to network effectively. A regimented routine minimizes the negative issues
associated with it.
Those factors
alone significantly account to why the vast majority of employers prefer hiring
the employed rather than the unemployed.
To compensate
for these motion-stopping issues, the unemployed job seeker needs to proceed fearlessly,
better organized and highly regimented. That, however, is easier to say than implement.
Whether employed
or unemployed, here is my short list.
1: Have a strategy! You need to
incorporate networking into that plan.
Upper management positions trend toward some degree of proactive networking. While
networking carries slightly less importance as one proceeds farther down the ladder,
it remains high on the list and cannot be overlooked or undervalued.
2: Health
Issues affect both physical appearance, as well as internal inertia. Job-hunting
is strenuous, time consuming and stressful. The ability to cope with job-seeking
stress alone is a monumental challenge.
3: Job-hunting
discipline includes maintaining regimented daily routine. Daily routines abruptly
change the moment an individual becomes unemployment. New, productive routines
need to be reestablished to avoid motion-slowing routines.
4: Reassess marketable experience. This poses a major challenge for those
trying to create a résumé with little or no job experience. That said, even
those with volumes of experience fail to properly assess and present what is salable
in a changing market.
5: Develop marketing tools. This includes not only the résumé, but up-to-date
references, thank-you notes and ongoing research. While a well-crafted,
easy-to-read résumé tends to generate more interviews, far too much time is
wasted on reinventing résumés. Clear and concise content continues to trump overly
cluttered, busy and fancy layouts.
6: Poor eating habits plague the nation. With 40% of the population
qualifying as obese, and with employers overwhelming desiring to reduce health
and absentee costs, I rest my case. (As an aside, the average citizen consumes
55 gallons a year of poisonous sugar-loaded beverages. Hum—someone is drinking my share.)
7: Deficient job interviewing skills will torpedo even the most intriguing résumé.
Unless you interview job candidates regularly, you may not know the statistics,
but 80% of all job candidates
interview poorly. Those who interview well can easily surpass those more
qualified.
8: Your job interviewing wardrobe is usually the second impression, only
proceeded by the quality and content of your résumé. Most job candidates dress
appropriately. Some show up looking drop-dead gorgeous. A solid 10% show up for
interviews as if the scheduled ordeal had inconveniently interrupted their afternoon
gardening project.
9: Cover
letters, while they remain important, it ranks lower today than they did a
generation ago. If your résumé needs to be easy-to-read and concise, than it quadruples
for covers. Therein lays the challenge. Ninety percent of covers are not read
due to length. Think of your cover letter as a clever Tweet! If it’s long—it’s wrong.
10: Your public records can be a hidden deal killer. This encompasses a
whole host of sins, ranging from your credit report and court documents to your
LinkedIn account. The higher on the food chain you proceed, the greater the
possibility this information will be scrutinized.
Newton would not
have applied his Laws of Physics in this manner, yet the concept applies nonetheless.
To keep your job search in motion, one needs to have all the above in motion. Keep
moving on all possibilities and venues. Seek counsel wisely and leave nothing
to chance.