How to apply to jobs & use recruiters. Career Crossroads challenge #3
The strategy you need for job hunting, accessing the 'hidden jobs market', CV & cover letter hacks, and using recruiters.
Hello, happy Wednesday!
I've been writing from Oroklini in Cyprus this week which is hotter than the sun and amazing.
If you're new here we're on week three of four of the Career Crossroads challenge. We started with knowing where you've been before you can decide where you're going, then how to build your online profile.
Today: How to apply for the jobs you want and work with recruitment consultants.
We'll cover: the strategy you need to adopt, what the 'hidden jobs market' is, and how you can access it, as well as my top tips for CVs, cover letters and working with recruiters effectively.
This is a jam-packed newsletter with industry secrets I've learned from almost a decade in startup recruitment. Please share it with your network/Twitter or hit the <3 button. Your engagement fuels my input each week —There's been a 37% increase in subscribers this month alone so thanks so much to those of you already spreading the word.
Ready for the four rules you need for job applications? Let's get into it.
Rule #1: Have a strategy.
Before you embark on your job search it pays to understand the world in which you are operating and having a strategy to follow.
So what is the landscape for finding a job these days?
Well although job hunting behaviours have changed significantly due to the internet, the essence of the job hunt remains the same. It all comes down to whether the two sides like each other or not.
If you liken this analogy to dating, the mechanisms of meeting people today make online dating is the norm but it still boils down to the same question at the end of the day: do you want to be with me?
Job hunting mimics this: you are looking for a match.
Importantly in this process remember its a two-sided equation. The job hunter need not feel at the whim of the employer because of the fact that it is a mutual decision.
But if you, like many people do, approach your job hunt assuming all the power lies in their hands you're going into the process with the wrong mindset and your strategy will be off.
Remember you are not just trying to get any job, you are trying to find a job you'll love, want to stay at, and invest your time and energy there. So rather than land any old gig then wind up realising you want to leave because it's awful or doesn't use your skills effectively: figure out what might make you want to quit ahead of time and then use your job hunting efforts to avoid this outcome.
Filter effectively and ask the right questions.
Whilst your target company may say no to you, there are **plenty of companies out there begging for someone with your skills. Your job is to find the optimum balance between maximizing what you are capable of getting whilst at the same time knowing your worth.
To put it crudely back in the dating context, if you want a 10 you better be a 10. In job-hunting, you need to know your value and express it to the places you want to work.
The difference in job hunting is that a lot of people are 9-10s for the job but their strategy for getting the job is a 4-5. That's why they remain stuck.
You have to be good at getting the job. That's where advice, coaching, mentoring comes in. There are no fixed rules and the process of landing a job may surprise you.
So what is your strategy going to be?
With a strategy you'll be better placed to judge your efforts and figure out what needs to shift if they aren't paying off.
I checked in with some of you in the last week and heard some great approaches to building a strategy. One reader looking to get into Product Management has been adopting a method much like a marketing funnel; looking at what is coming in at the top of the funnel and what is 'converting' through to the bottom. Where there is leakage she says (hearing nos) she assesses which aspect of the funnel needs some work: is it the CV? The introductory paragraph? The interview itself, or just the wrong job in the first place?
Figure out what your strategy looks like and you'll be better able to change course if needed.
But one thing is true — your efforts reflect your results and there is a reason job hunting has been likened to the process of having a full time job — you need to devote as much time to your job hunt as possible if its not working out. Energy in = energy out.
So do something every day.
We are living in (sorry, overused word alert) unprecedented times and the economic climate has made the process of finding a job harder than it has been at other times. But you always have more power than you think.
This where the hidden jobs market becomes even more important.
Rule #2: There are more jobs available than you realise.
The media will gladly perpetuate the view that there are slim pickings available on the job market.
In the US for example, they publish the monthly ‘news about the unemployment rate’ update. Each month the number of new jobs added is published, alongside a figure of the number of people seeking work.
Typically the figure of people looking is much greater than the jobs added. The was a deficit of 7,966,000 for the 215,000 openings one month in 2016 [Source: What Color is Your Parachute, 2017].
A scary stat — and amidst the current COVID climate these numbers are only going to grow further apart.
Yet the important figure here is the net change in jobs available, as jobs actually get added all the time.
The US also has a report called Job Openings and Labour Turnover Survey (www.bls.gov/jilt) which tells you the number of new people who found work and the number of vacancies awaiting people to fill them. The same compared these stats and for the same month found the openings to be 10m jobs; quite a stark contrast from the media’s report of 215,000.
This happens because at least four of out five jobs are never posted online. There is a hidden jobs market with open vacancies that you don't know about.
Bill Burnett and Dave Evans the authors of Designing your Life said this fact means that up to 90% of people are using a method for their job hunt that works only 5% of the time.
So how to get in the 10% of people whose method is smarter?
You need to access the jobs that aren't publicly listed. They exist inside the minds of the hiring managers who know the workload of their team and can imagine adding another person to the mix. To the CEO whose strategy needs reviewing and knows external talent is needed to pivot the business. To the HR leaders who know the best talent comes from referrals and don't see the need to post a vacancy online when they've built the team through network referrals only.
So what are some tactics that will help you get in front of these people?
It's all about networking.
Getting in front of not just your contacts, but your contacts' contacts. Your goal is not to force yourself into any old job (remember its a two-sided equation where you are being selective about where you work) but your goal is to view this version of networking as asking for directions. Using people's knowledge about their own industry to access information not publicly available.
But first, you must know what kind of role it is that you most want. Consult the Career Review process first if you are new to the question of knowing what it is that you want.
By using your network to help you open doors you'll hear of opportunities that would never have been posted online. Other places for these hidden jobs include communities e.g on Slack, Whatsapp or Facebook, LinkedIn groups, newsletters (like this!), and more. Get creative, by researching where you're trying to get to and you'll soon unlock some hidden gems.
Another way to access these jobs is to get them to come to you.
This is again a longer-term play, but if you're known for something and have a strong personal brand, opportunities come your way all the time.
Be visible with your personal brand (here's how) and share publicly what you're up to. I once posted about work I was doing as a Talent Consultant, when the same day a Non-Exec Director reached out to share a consulting contract he had going. It wasn't just that I was in the right place at the right time, I had curated my profile for the kinds of roles I wanted and was demonstrating my credibility in my post.
Rule #3: Write better applications
Let’s say you have located a job you want and you need to make an application.
How to make yours stand out?
Most people who spend hours applying for jobs are doing so through a volume-based approach. Yes, it may take a high volume of roles to land the one you want but the best way to find them is to only apply for the ones that interest you and spend longer on each approach.
This quote from David Levin is gold.
Rather than approach places en-mass the key is to figure out what it is that you like about this particular role, and both tell them why that is and why you'd be a great asset to their team.
Do this by creating a great CV/online profile and cover letter. It's also done through research (what can you learn about this company before applying that helps you stand out from the competition?) and through spending some time figuring out how you're coming across and working to ensure its the way you want to.
Here are some tips for your CV & cover letter to get you started. If you need more help read below or click here.
CV/Linkedin
Remember the role of these is to help you get your foot in the door. It's not your life story.
Remove anything that is off-putting or unclear. Your profile should be clear and effective, so keep editing until the story you are telling with your experience is crystal clear.
Hiring managers (or algorithms) are looking for reasons to screen you out of the process and reduce the number of calls or in-person meetings the team has to do. Stand out and give them a reason they'd be a fool not to meet you.
Don't write your full home address or date of birth as it’s outdated and unnecessary.
Use language relevant to reflect where you’re trying to get to not just where you’ve been. If you’re switching industries it helps to learn some of their lingo.
Cover Letters
Write as a human would, and write like you are someone they can imagine being both good at their job and a nice normal human (i.e. not too straight-laced or overly formal!)
Personalise it to show you recognise there is a person on the other end of the letter
Highlight your most relevant experience and spell it out for them in a more conversational format than your CV
Be clear what about their organisation interests you specifically
Keep it to one-page max
A special Offer
If you feel your CV needs some work I've launched a service due to high demand to help you out.
This is right for you if you know what you want to do next but need a little helping hand getting your foot in the door. After reviewing thousands of CVs as a recruiter over the years I know a thing or two about what makes one stand out and what undermines your efforts.
Click here for your exclusive CV Support Package.
(PS If you aren't sure what you want to do with your career then 1-1 coaching is your best bet).
Rule # 4: Use recruiters to your advantage
The other way to get the job you want is via a recruiter who is working on the vacancy.
The role of the recruiter is to help fill the role because the stakeholder (the end client who wants the role filled) is unable or unwilling to run the hiring process without one.
Recruiters don't have a job without candidates, so it pays to figure out which jobs you are an ideal candidate for and get in front of the recruiters working on those roles.
There are many different kinds of recruiters, I used to be an executive-level one only hiring C-level and senior management, I've also been an internal recruiter (working for a company as the Head of Talent) and I've also been a contract recruiter working for a company for a short stint of time during a hiring frenzy.
Want to use a recruiter?
The first criterion is that the recruiter actually has the jobs that you want! They won't always have anything relevant in which case all you can do is to stay on their books ready for when they do. This was one of the reasons I moved from recruitment into coaching as I can now actually help people regardless of whether I have a job for them.
But assuming you've located a recruiter who has roles for you, the following graphic is relevant to understand when and how to use them.
There is a power dynamic at play based on two factors.
The first: how strong a relationship the recruiter has with the hiring manager. The second: how strong a fit you are with the role itself.
You see, the relationship they have with the hiring manager is important because it gives them leverage. Leverage to influence decision-makers and 'sell you' into the role. If you're not a direct fit as the graphic reveals, they would need more leverage to be able to convince the hiring manager to hire you. If you're a direct fit your profile sells itself.
Let's explore the four scenarios:
Lose-lose: You are a bad match for the role and the recruiter doesn't have a strong relationship. They will be disincentivized to represent you because they have zero leverage to get your profile attention, ideally, your profile needs to be a slam dunk for them to get it seen when they don't have strong relationships Verdict: Don't bother — find a new role.
The power lies in your hands. Let's say you're exactly the kind of person this company would love to hire but the recruiter doesn't have a strong relationship with the company. This could mean your profile gets overlooked because the team doesn't even read the recruiter’s emails or want to avoid using the recruiter, in which case you might be better off applying directly in case other candidates get prioritised ahead of you. Verdict: You may still want to use the recruiter but you don't necessarily have to.
Win-win: If you're both a match for the role and the recruiter is close to the stakeholder you are in the best position. They can negotiate on your behalf to get an interview, and the salary you are looking for. They can give you insights about the company you wouldn't have otherwise and honest feedback about your interview performance. Verdict: Work with them and together you're more likely to get what you want (you the role and them the commission).
The power lies in recruiters’ hands.
This happens when a recruiter is close to the stakeholder but you're a bit of a wild card, ie you are not exactly what they know the stakeholder is looking for. When this happens you might be able to charm them into putting you forward for the role and coaching you to get it. You might be lucky. But they will see you as a potential time waster and might favour the other candidates in their process. Verdict: Do all you can to win this recruiter over!
Intrigued by the world of recruitment? The different kinds, the way their business model works, where to find them? Click this page here. I'll see if there is enough interest to do a whole newsletter on this topic soon.
And as a reminder, I’m now offering CV support for a limited time only. Take the opportunity to have an expert recruiter shape your CV today (I’ve hired into leading companies including ASOS, BCG Digital Ventures, Facebook, Betfair, Tesco, Glaxosmithkline, and more).
Thanks for reading, and as always, send your thoughts in the comments or drop me a DM! Career Crossroads challengers check your inbox for this week’s task.
Next week we’ll be covering salary negotiation and sealing the deal. One you don’t want to miss ;)
Your Coach,
Ellen
What is The Ask Newsletter?
As Chief Coach & Founder of The Ask I write this newsletter to answer commonly asked questions across careers, personal development, mindset, and entrepreneurship. Delivered to your inbox weekly every Wednesday.