You’re probably reading this because you’ve been pimping out your resume to every company posting a job in your area, aren’t being called back, and can’t figure out why. I know this because every single day I receive messages from people from all walks of life asking me why their resume isn’t being noticed by recruiters and my answers are always matter of fact. I won’t sugarcoat anything for you in this blog because that doesn’t get you anywhere other than ending up uber frustrated during the entire process.
So what exactly do I tell people seeking my advice on how to get noticed in today's world? Read on!
Be Proactive...
I might piss off a lot of recruiters with this one but it needs to be said. If you want to get noticed faster, REACH OUT YOURSELF. I’m not talking about diluting yourself in the market and applying to every job out there. I’m talking about actually being proactive and taking control. If you see a job with a company you think you’d be really interested in working for, find out who the recruiter is and reach out to them. I love when people reach out to me telling me they saw my job posting and would like to stand out from the crowd by reaching out to me directly. Now, I still want them to apply to my job posting so I can have their resume on hand, but I’m more likely to set up an intro call with someone who takes control of their future because it shows me how they would act with one of my clients, and I really like people who go for what they want.
See the Bigger Picture…
A lot of great startups have popped up since Covid first hit the mainstream market and everything shut down. It forced a lot of people out of their comfort zones, and I’ve had the opportunity to work with some really great ones out there that you aren’t even aware of yet. Exciting, right? 99% of the clients I work with are well-funded startups valued between $10MM-$500MM. The reason I gravitate to work with startups is that the picture is always bigger. Why? Think about it. You’re in corporate America with 500+ employees and really in the broad scheme of things, you’re just another number. With global inflation continuing to rise, companies are forced to hike their prices but at what cost? Will you the employee see any of that money in the way of a bonus or will your company figure out a different way to use it? Any smart business owner would figure out how to do both but there are a lot of greedy people out there so my guess is, unfortunately, the majority won’t see anything extra.
Also, quit being hung up on the "salary" if there's an opportunity for a bonus. Sometimes you have to take a step back to take 3 steps forward. For example: if you took a $10,000 pay cut which let’s get real - it may sound like a lot but after taxes, it ends up being $667/month that you'd lose. And I get it. That's a car payment (or 2), childcare, clothes, groceries/food, fun money, etc. So, yes, while that’s a nice little chunk of change, you may be missing out on opportunities to double or triple that $667 each month by simply removing your blinders and seeing the bigger picture. Would you think differently if you knew you couldn't make less, only more? I know I would.
LinkedIn Presence…
If you’re not on LinkedIn in 2022, you might as well not exist IMO. Your LinkedIn should be your main "resume" with the paper copy serving as a backup for a recruiter’s reference during the interview process. Did you know that recruiters use Boolean searches on LinkedIn to find people with specific information on their LinkedIn profile? Any great recruiter knows that the best talent is already employed by their competitors so LinkedIn is a great place to start looking to fill open positions.
PS: Take a look at your LinkedIn picture right now. Does it scream “I’m the best candidate for your position” or does it give a different impression? I struggle with people whose LinkedIn profile picture is of them and their best friend Fido or their spouse and 5 children. I guess there are different levels of their career people want to reach and that’s fine, but since I hire at the Executive level, I’m judging your choice of picture. Sorry, not sorry.
Stay in Your Lane…
A friend of mine called me the other day asking me how she can get out of teaching and enter the job market doing something completely different. I gave the advice you’ve read thus far and will continue to read in this blog while also adding that she needed to make sure she "stays in her lane". As a teacher, I reminded her that she has developed a lot of great skills such as structure, discipline, working in a stressful environment, organizational planning, patience, strong work ethic - (need I go on) - and to make sure she’s applying for positions in her wheelhouse by reading the job post and ensuring she meets all of the basic qualifications or she’ll end up wasting her time.
Can’t Be Afraid to Walk Away…
This is a big one for me because you can’t want a job more than anything in the world or you’ll find yourself settling in with the wrong companies and not understanding why you’re not happy. It took me a long time to figure out that I can’t want to sign a client more than I want to work with them. There are a lot of broken business models out there, and I can’t in good conscience place people at a company I personally wouldn’t work for. For example, in June 2020, I took a corporate position with this awful company, (it was so bad I took them off of my LinkedIn), and I felt I had to sacrifice everything I believed in just to meet “quotas” - it was the most depressing desk job I’ve ever had. I wasn't prepared financially or mentally, and I fell into a desperate situation and in turn, ended up taking a soulless job. Thankfully, we parted ways after only 90 days. It was a great learning experience for me. Why? Because I learned that you can’t be afraid to be choosy or walk away. Listen to your instincts - they’re there for a reason.
Thanks for reading! XoXo - Genesis
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