A few home truths about job hunting

When most people start down the job search journey they are feeling really optimistic.  But after a few weeks, optimism can often turn into real negativity, as most job hunters don’t walk easily into the next job, let alone securing the ideal job.

It can be very stressful and as each week goes by, people can be more fearful about their future.

Yet as a society I’ve observed that most people don’t dwell on the ‘reality of job hunting’.

SEEK and you shall find, does not highlight that it can take 6 months to a year to secure the ideal job (and that the success rate is as low as 4% on job boards).

If you look at Amazon book titles, there is an emphasis on quickly jumping into the next job, with titles such as ‘Learn how to find your next job in 1 day’, ‘How to get a job in 30 days or less’, ‘Find a job FAST’, ‘The 2 Hour Job Search’, Finding a Job Fast using a 30/60/90 day plan’.

Sorry guys, but I’m breaking the bad news.  Yes, there are some people who will easily waltz into their next job and be breaking open the champagne bottle within a couple of weeks.  But for the majority of job hunters, the reality is a little grimmer than this. It can take months and there is no such thing as an easy road to a new job, let alone a dream job.

It takes determination, resilience and the capacity to change to the reality of the modern job market.

‘It’s not the strongest of the species, nor the most intelligent, that survive; it’s the one most responsive to change’. – Charles Darwin

Now I’m not telling you this to make you feel fearful or negative.  I’m telling you this, so when you don’t succeed straight away, then you know that it is OK, that you are not alone, that it has NOTHING to do with your capacity, knowledge, or ability, I mean absolutely nothing!

And because it is OK and you know that it can be tough, you can take the right mental attitude with you, so you don’t give up, settle for less than you deserve and understand that you need to change how you approach the whole deal towards job-hunting (as well as understand a few home truths)!

Home truths about job hunting

Don’t buy into the job board promise that the perfect job awaits you and all you need to do is apply for jobs online.  You need to learn tactics in regards to networking and tapping into the hidden job market.  Don’t wait until a job gets advertised – by then it is usually too late (unless applying for a government job).

Move with the times.  If you have been reluctant to start a LinkedIn account, start one.  Times are changing and will change with or without you.  So don’t get left behind, use new tools and resources to help propel your career and learn how to use LinkedIn effectively.  If you are employed, now is the perfect time to set up a LinkedIn profile. (Feel free to connect with me at: http://au.linkedin.com/in/carolynsmith263/).

You need a modern resume and you need effective responses to selection criteria.  They are not the ‘magic pill’ but without effective career marketing documents, it will be difficult to stand out from the crowd, or even secure an interview.  With effective career marketing documents, your job search journey will be so much easier and you significantly improve the odds stacked against you.

For the majority of job hunters, it can take time and there is nothing easy about job hunting.  You need to adapt your resume, write effective cover letters, make contact with those in your sector and network, build an effective LinkedIn profile and learn how to perform like a star at interview.  It takes dedication and it won’t magically happen in ‘less than 2 hours’, in spite of the Amazon book list telling you otherwise.