Your Resume Is a Waste of Time: 8 Better Ways to Get
Hired for the Job You Want
Getting the job you want isn't easy, but
nothing worthwhile ever is.
A friend of mine can't find a
job. "I've worked hard on my resume," he says. "I've written a killer cover letter. I've applied for dozens of jobs and I haven't
even gotten an interview, so clearly no one must be hiring."
Maybe
you've done the same. Maybe you've submitted plenty of resumes. Maybe you've
included catchy cover letters. Maybe you've even asked someone to put in a good
word for you.
And
then you didn't even get a reply, much less the job.
Why? You did some work... but
not the right work.
There
are many things you can't control about the job-seeking process. Cumbersome
application systems, automated filters that identify keywords instead of
talent, lazy hiring managers content to simply find a square peg for a round
hole, all of that is outside your control.
But
there is one thing you can control: the amount of work you put in.
If
you're struggling to land the job you want, don't complain. Don't blame other
people. Sure, the system often sucks -- so accept it sucks, and then figure out
how to beat it. Commit to doing more. Commit to doing what other candidates
aren't willing to do.
That's how you stand out. That's how
you get the job you really want.
So
let's do it:
1.
Find the company you want to work for.
Obvious,
right? Not really. Many job seekers respond to as many job postings as
possible, hoping the numbers will be on their side.
But
shotgun resume submissions result in hiring managers sifting through dozens of
candidates to find the right person. (Good luck emerging from that particular
pile.)
To
show the hiring manager you are the right candidate, you have to do the work.
Instead of shot-gunning your resume, put in the time to determine a company you
definitely want to work for -- both in terms of the job and cultural fit.
2. Really know
the company.
Pretend
I'm the hiring manager. "I would love to work for you," you say. What
I actually hear is, "I would love for you to pay me."
You
can't possibly know if you want to work for my company unless you know a lot
about my company; that's the difference between just wanting a job and wanting
an actual role in a business.
Talk
to friends, relatives, vendors, customers... anyone you can find. Check out
management and employees on social media. When you know the people, you know
the company. Learn as much as you can, then leverage that knowledge.
3.
Determine how you will make an immediate impact in the role.
Many
companies see training as a necessary evil. Training takes time, money, effort,
all of which are in short supply. An ideal new hire can be productive
immediately.
While
you don't need to be able to do everything required in the job, it helps if the
company can see an immediate return on their hiring investment. (Remember,
hiring you is an investment that needs to generate a return.)
Identify
one or two important things you can contribute from day one.
4. Don't just tell. Show.
Put
what you can offer on display. If you're a programmer, mock up a new
application. If you want a sales position, create a plan for how you'll target
a new market or customer base, or describe how you will implement marketing
strategies the business doesn't currently use.
A tell and show is your chance
to prove you know the company and what you can offer. Your initiative will be
impressive and you'll go a long way toward overcoming concerns that you're all
hat and no cattle.
Is it
fair you're doing a little work on spec? Should you have to create a mockup or
plan to get the job? Probably not, but doing so will set you apart.
Never
let "fair" -- when the only person "disadvantaged" is you
-- get in the way of achieving your goals.
5.
Use a referral as a reinforcement.
Business
is all about relationships. We've all made bad hiring decisions, so a referral
from someone we trust is like gold.
You
may have to dig deep into your network or even forge new connections, but the
effort will be worth it.
Knowing
that someone we trust is willing to vouch for you is a data point that often
tips the decision scale toward giving you an interview, and even giving you the
job.
6. Be
the one who knocks.
Don't
wait to be called for an interview. Don't even wait for an opening to be
posted; after all, you've identified ways you can immediately help the company
you want to work for. Wrangle an introduction, meet with someone who can
actually influence the hiring decision, and pitch away.
Think
it won't work? It will -- as long as you show the person you contact how they
will also benefit. Say, "I really want to work for your company. I know
you're in charge of social-media marketing and I've developed a data-driven way
to analyze activities, ROI, brand awareness, I'd love to take you to lunch and
show you. If you hate my ideas, at least you got a free lunch. If you love
them, you learned something. What do you have to lose?"
A friend of mine who runs a tech company has
hired four people who approached him in a similar fashion. He's a go-getter; he
loves hiring go-getters. And he loves when they find him.
Just
make sure you go straight to describing how the company will benefit from
hiring you. Say, "Your website is good, and I can make it even better.
Here are changes I will make in the first month, and here is how those changes
will improve conversions and SEO results. And here's a mockup I created of a
new site design."
Approach
people right and they will pay attention -- especially entrepreneurs and
small-business owners. I don't know any smart people who won't drop everything
to learn how to improve their business.
7.
Assert yourself.
Many
people are poor interviewers. That's especially true of small-business owners;
many are terrible interviewers. (As a friend of mine says, "I don't work
in HR. I run a business.")
So be
direct and to the point. Explain what you can do. Describe your background.
Don't talk about what the job will mean to you; talk about how the company will
benefit from hiring you. Show you know working for their company is different
(every company thinks they're different) and how you're excited by the
challenge. Sell yourself: use what you know about the company and how you will
make an impact to back up your pitch.
8.
Ask for the job.
Most
people don't mind being closed. Plus, a decision put off until tomorrow is a
decision added to the to-do list; no one wants more on their plate.
If
you truly know you want the job -- and by this point, you should -- ask for it.
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Who knows: if you've worked
hard to truly set yourself apart, you might get hired on the spot.
I
liked when people asked for the job. Most hiring managers do. Who doesn't love
initiative and drive?
I
know what you're thinking:
All
of this is too much work to put in, especially if there's no guarantee your
extra effort will result in a job.
But
you're looking at it the wrong way. Doing what everyone else does is very
unlikely to result in a job.
Decide you will be different -- and then work
hard to actually be different. Then you will stand out. Then
you'll have a much better chance of landing the job you really want
By Jeff Haden
https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/your-resume-is-a-waste-of-time-8-better-ways-to-get-hired-for-the-job-you-want.html
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