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Out of Work? This Simple Strategy Can Get You Back in the Game
It’s not about how many jobs you apply for.
“The market is as bad as I’ve ever seen it! I’ve applied to 1,000 jobs and… nothing!”
In the last few years, I’ve heard this a lot.
Or, “I don’t know what that Jobs Report is talking about! I’ve been out of work for over a year!”
These are candidates with letters behind their names, decades of experience, no typos in their résumé, or questionable posts on LinkedIn. You know, the ones who make you roll your eyes and say, “Oh, no wonder they don’t have a job.”
Job seekers have had it bad for a while, and there’s no guarantee it will change anytime soon. If you’ve been looking for a while, or you’re newly laid off, listen carefully. I’ve helped unemployed professionals find work for over 10 years, and this is the most dependable sign that a person will get a job.
The best way to get a job in this market is through someone you know, but …
There’s a minor caveat to that, and a Harvard Business Review article backs me up — your network — call it “Loose Connections” or “Weak Ties” will have more of an impact if the person is a workplace tie.
In any market, but especially a buyer’s market like the one we’re in now, the most effective way to connect and get a job is through a work colleague.
To quote the Harvard article. (Fair warning: it’s paywalled.)
“…what jobseekers found most useful were people who could talk knowledgeably and convincingly about what the applicant was like as a worker and a colleague.”
In the US, the culture shames people who’ve been laid off or, God forbid, fired, and that shame keeps a lot of people from reaching out to people they know. Yet reaching out is the most powerful tool you’ve got.
You can follow the droves of people clicking “Apply” buttons on LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and countless other sites, yet this is a shot in the dark and one that often misses.
