Job search tips from reader (who got the job)
After looking for a job for well over a year, one of my readers wrote to tell us that he finally got a real live job offer. And he accepted it! He also wanted to share some of his hard-won job search tips to help other readers going through what he went through.
As a true testament to endurance (and willingness to stay creative and go with the flow), John had been interviewing for this particular job for about FOUR MONTHS! And he even had to do a stint as a consultant first before the owner of the company asked him to join the firm.
Hard-won tips John wants us to know
John has been a regular contributor to this blog’s comments. Now he would like to offer some hard-won advice to job seekers everywhere running their own job search obstacle courses. I gladly accepted (nothing like fresh, first-hand experience) and decided to add some of my own tips, too.
Here’s what we came up with. Hopefully this will help you not only survive what seems like a never-ending race, but stay in it long enough to emerge with a big job win!
Don’t get down on yourself.
You WILL get a job. It’s the uncertainty that can mess with your psyche. And being down on yourself comes across in interviews.
Opportunities occur when you least expect them.
Be open. Look at jobs that might not match your skill set exactly. (John only matched on 70% of the skills for this job.)
Follow EVERY lead and talk to people.
All kinds of people. You’d be surprised how many folks sincerely want to help. This is not the time to be shy. Even if you have to push yourself a little.
If you come up against interviewer w/o interview skills…
…you might try what I did. Initiate conversations as if the interviewer asked you a question. It is a bit unnerving when the interviewer talks less than Harpo Marx!
At the end of the interview, ask about their process.
And about their time-frame. Also ask when you might be able to follow up. It’s not pushy — it’s professional.
Rejection may not be the end of it.
I (Ronnie Ann) once had a CEO of a firm personally reach out to reject me as a candidate. My skill set wasn’t even close, but I gave it a shot. He really liked my cover letter, but unfortunately cover letters can only do so much. Still I stayed in touch. And later he told me about a job I did match.
If you’re still waiting…
…please know there are often unpredictable internal processes that have nothing to do with you. (In John’s case, pressing issues arose at the firm that required immediate attention. Hiring him (as smart a decision as it eventually was) had to take a lower priority. This happens more often than you might think.)
Interviewing can go on for weeks and weeks.
John was the top candidate half-way through the process, but still all the other candidates had to be fully interviewed to reinforce that he was the correct choice. (You would do the same for example if you bought a car. You may love one car, but you will check out other cars and dealerships. Same thing with a candidate.)
A small thing like general economic factors…
…can also be a huge factor in hiring and decision-making delays. As important as it is to hire new folks, keeping the business afloat takes top priority. And that even means you may have to postpone a hire you really want to do now. Don’t give up. Many times, the job gets resuscitated. So stay in touch … but not too often.
Send thank you notes & follow up with the person.
You would be amazed how a note, email or phone call restarts the process. Be careful with phones calls though. Find out first how the person prefers you to follow up by asking politely. And of course — don’t overdo the follow up!
Follow up with strength & confidence — yet tactfully.
That is what helped John get his job. He kept the lines of communication open, but with the attitude of “I understand your process and time frames and are mindful of them.”
You don’t want to follow-up so often
that you become a stalker!
If people don’t get back to you…
…a lot of the time it has nothing to do with you as a candidate. Schedules change, issues arise, decision makers are out of the office, etc. It’s a waste of your energy to focus on what THEY aren’t doing. Focus on what YOU can do.
Your situation creates a yo-yo of emotions.
You are NOT alone in these feelings. Please know that. Do what you can to stay sane while waiting.
Set daily goals for yourself, whether big or small.
It does make you feel better about yourself. And also be gentle on yourself if you miss some. As Scarlett O’Hara so wisely tells us, tomorrow is another day.
And most of all … never, ever ever say “Quit!”
P.S. During job search, you’ll meet true professionals who, even if they reject you, show respect. Learn from them. Stay in touch with those you connect with.
But also — and probably more importantly — learn from the unprofessional ones too, so that when roles are reversed and you’re the hiring manager, you will know how to act gracefully and professionally.
Best of luck!
~ John and Ronnie Ann
Well … that’s it.
Hope our job search tips help with your own job search. Seriously, as hard as it might get along the way, stay creative. Believe in yourself. And keep trying. It’s worth the wait.
[Post updated in 2020]
⇒ EXTRA: I Don’t Meet Job Requirements. Should I Still Try?
More job search tips to help
Is Your Online Reputation Hurting Your Job Search?
Will Volunteering During Job Search Get You a Job?
10 Two-Letter Words To Motivate Yourself
Why Networking Matters So Darn Much
So Many Mistakes! How Do I Start My Career Over?
Why a Resume Gets Rejected — Even Good Ones!
Please Help Me With My Phone Interview!
How to Tell If a Job Interview Went Well
18 Practical Tips to Help You Ace Your Job Interview
15 Things I Look for When I Interview People
After the Job Interview: Why Haven’t They Called Me Yet?
About the author…
Ronnie Ann, founder of Work To the Wise and Work Coach Cafe, bases her real-world advice on her many years as an organizational consultant where she helped interview and hire people, added to a certificate from NYU in Career Planning & Development, as well as her many adventures as a serial job seeker.
Thank you for this advice! I’ve been feeling really low lately because it’s hard to look for a RN job without exp. The nursing director said I “might start” within the week or so but it’s almost two weeks! I guess this is the “or so…” she’s talking about. It IS hard to keep my chin up, but knowing that there are people out there who share my struggles is somewhat comforting! Thank you and good luck to everyone!
Thanks, Ronnie Ann. It can be tough, especially on days when there is no activity (and this week, after weeks of interviews and calls, has been far too quiet for my taste). In fact, that’s when the job hunt takes a real toll on the psyche; as much as you don’t want bad news, you prefer to get some word on where you stand than none at all. But in reality, no news is better than bad news or news of stalled hiring processes because something could be happening that might be in your favor.
The uncertainty of the hiring process is one reason why I’ve long ago adopted an owner’s mentality. That is, instead of looking at this as the desperate attempt to get some company to hire me for a job, it is a chance to match up my talents, skills and ambitions to a firm that wants to partner with me for a time (and is deserving of them). In many ways, it is adaption to economic reality: No job is permanent; no employer is loyal (if this was ever the case); and you are merely a full-time equivalent whose talents are only as valuable to the firm as they fit into its mission, goals and financial condition.
This reality is as true for each of us as it is for the companies on the other side of the transaction: If an organization doesn’t provide you with what you desire for your life (from benefits to career success), then you shouldn’t stay with them. And if its hiring process is dysfunctional, you don’t want to work for it in the first place. A smooth hiring process isn’t indicative of how well an organization functions; but a dysfunctional hiring process is clearly a sign of worse to come. And in a couple of the bridesmaid situations, I can say I have dodged a couple of bullets (even if I would love to just have a job now).
Such a mindset isn’t comforting, especially when you need the check to pay the bills; but at least it is clearheaded and allows you to stop falling in love with every opening for which you apply. And while it doesn’t keep me from falling into occasional bouts of despair, I can at least keep my head above water. Or at least try.
Hi again Mack! Sorry for the delay. I’m on vacation but trying to keep up. 😉
I loved your response. Hope it’s ok, but I think I’m going to use a some of it (with credit to you of course) for my post this week. You said so much better than I could. I hope some smart employer snaps you up soon…and I hope it’s a prefect match. 😉
Good luck, Mack!