Finding a job is hard, and changing careers is scary. The higher you climb up the career ladder, the harder it gets. Here are three reasons why it’s so hard, and three things that you can do about it.
Why You Aren’t Getting Interviews
- Your Resume Stinks
No offense, mine stinks too. Since there is no universal format, everyone’s resume is wrong for one reason or another. Every hiring manager has a preferred format, with some information first, and other information last. This will be exactly the opposite for the next company. Sure, there are standard categories like Education and Experience, but the structure, details, and format are completely optional.
My personal resume has been revised through 6 professional resume writers, 4 different ‘expert’ templates, and edited by two Ivy League MBAs. It should be perfect. Instead, it gets through the ‘wood chipper’ of auto-screening algorithms only about 10% of the time. Apparently, it stinks 90% of the time. Don’t sweat it if yours has a similar acceptance ratio, that’s actually amazingly high. Research shows only 2% of all applicants get an initial interview.
- It’s a Phantom Job
Job boards are full of postings for positions that will never be filled. An estimated 50% of all the job postings will eventually be filled by internal candidates, or though an informal referral like a networking contact. There are also a significant number of phantom postings for jobs that don’t really exist. There are dozens of understandable reasons for this, and collecting resumes is a reasonable approach to finding future superstars.
Even if you’re called for an interview, you still might not be an actual candidate. Phantom Interviews happen all the time. I’ve been on two:
- One process was 6 interviews — no exaggeration — before they hired an internal candidate. One of those interviews included an online presentation at 9 am on December 26th.
- The other was 7 months, start to finish. Two months from application to the first call back, followed by 3 interviews, one per month. 96 days after the final day-long interview, I was notified they hired an internal candidate.
- Age Discrimination is Real
Yes, it is illegal, but it happens. Many job boards require a birthdate, graduation dates, or dates of employment to complete the application or to build your profile. There’s no escaping it. The math is easy to calculate, and it is simple to figure out if an applicant is 35 or 55. Understandably, someone with a potential 30 years to work would be preferable to a 55 year old biding the last 10 years to retirement. However, the average candidate is in any given position less than 5 years, making the ‘longevity’ argument completely irrelevant.
The discrimination isn’t necessarily overt. Older candidates are less likely to have new and trendy skills required, like coding and tech. It’s been that way forever. Skills stagnate without constant effort to keep them current. Also, older, more experienced candidates cost more, and hiring managers are under pressure to keep payroll within certain parameters. Willing to work for less? Employers know you won’t put up with it forever, and eventually you’ll walk.
What You Can Do
- Freshen Up Your Skills
Make yourself a little smarter, and earn some fresh knowledge. Earning another degree is great, but expensive and time consuming. Instead, here are some quick, low cost options to make your skill set more relevant:
- Earn a certificate in a relevant field. Many Ivy League schools offer them remotely, and for a reasonably low cost.
- Read more.A book a month, and you’re an expert in under a year. I listen to one every two weeks; mostly on Audible while putting miles on my road bike.
- Learn for Free. LinkedIn’s Lynda and SlideShare, Khan Academy, and even YouTube have thousands of lessons on any topic where you can sharpen your skills at no cost.
- Don’t Rely on Job Boards/Job Fairs
In addition to the aforementioned difficulties with Phantom Postings, the “Hidden Market” contains anywhere from 50% to 80% of jobs that aren’t ever posted. If you’re relying on Job Boards to find work, you’re focused only on 20% of the jobs on the market, and many of those postings are looking for Phantom Interviews to vet existing internal candidates.
Job Fairs are OK for entry-level work and new graduates. However, as you climb the career ladder, they become increasingly worthless. It’s not intentional; the format doesn’t lend itself to the depth of discussion necessary for senior-level recruiting. Attend them if you can, but be sure to temper expectations.
Even specific ‘senior level’ fairs are marginally beneficial. I recently attended two career fairs: one exclusively for Veterans with MBA’s, and another one for MBA’s in my state. Had a lot of great conversations, but everything dead-ended in “Find a job on our board, and apply.” It’s nothing personal; the volume of candidates precludes any real connection.
- Network In Your Field
The one consistent method to get to the job you want is to go find it. Follow a handful of targeted companies, connect with key leaders within those companies, and go meet those people in the flesh. Nothing replaces that personal connection.
Networking clubs can be hit or miss. Some are robust groups of active leaders and entrepreneurs; others are simply hangouts for other under-employed people. Be choosy, and intentional about which you align yourself with.
One connection of mine talks about having gone to extremes to meet a few key decision makers, like joining the same gym, changing to their church, or enrolling their children in the same activity. If you’re not that gung-ho, try ‘old school’ methods like joining the same Chamber of Commerce, civic organization, or even finding their favorite happy hour.
The Bottom Line
Changing jobs is hard work. It takes time, effort, and a lot of patience. Most of the work is yours to do, and requires extending yourself well past your comfort zone. Your resume will never be perfect, nor will any job posting. Find the jobs where your skills are a good fit, and don’t lose that focus.
Also, have a distraction to keep from getting discouraged. Rejection hurts, and keeping your mind on something other than the prolonged job search can mean the difference between happiness and despair. I’m training for RAGBRAI, and pounding out some miles every morning keeps me feeling energized and encouraged. And, it makes my suits fit better.
Originally published at A.C. Wibe.
