Job seeking tendencies and advice

Taking courses, reading, and learning more about my trade, I come across interesting facts and statistics about the job search process. I have selected 10 of the most applicable and would like to share them with you, analyze them together, and think about ways to tackle them.

1. Recruiters spend an average of 6 seconds on each resume in the initial screening process. (Source: lynda.com)
2. 1 spelling or grammar mistake and your CV will be thrown in the trash can. (Source: Recruiterbox)
3. 76% of CVs are ignored if the email address is unprofessional. (Source: Recruiterbox)
4. 87% of recruiters use LinkedIn to search for candidates. (Source: Jobvite)
5. Candidates called in for an interview, in most cases, are between 6 and 10. (Source: lynda.com)
6. It takes on average three interviews and three to six weeks to get an offer. I (Source: MRINetwork)
7. 56% of formerly unemployed people learned about their current job through networking. (Source: lynda.com)
8. Less than 30% of people applying online receive a response. (Source: lynda.com)
9. Women apply for open jobs only if they think they meet 100 percent of the criteria listed, whereas men respond to the posting if they feel they meet 60 percent of the requirements. (Source: Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead, Sheryl Sandberg)
10. 1 in 3 employers rejected candidates based on something they found about them online. (Source: Recruiterbox)

Now, let’s take a moment and discuss what each fact means for the job searcher:

1. If recruiters spend on average 6 seconds screening each resume, then what would the resume have to include to catch their attention? Keywords. Recruiters are looking for keywords for each specific profile and if you don’t have them in your CV, your chances of getting to the phone interview are close to zero.

2. Spelling and grammar mistakes get the CV directly in the trash – the moral of this story is – you might be the perfect candidate, but if you haven’t taken the time to proofread your resume and show you respect the position and the company, you will not be considered.

3. Unprofessional emails in your contact information – when I think everybody should know this, I am surprised by the number of CVs I receive with emails containing nicknames, pet names, years, etc. If you don’t have a professionally sounding email use your first and last name to create one. If that email is already taken, include your middle initial, get a hyphen or a dot – you get the point.

4. Close to 90% of recruiters use LinkedIn to search for candidates – what does that mean for you? It means you should get on LinkedIn, too. And quick. And be thorough and professional. And use those keywords, so that your profile pops up in the search results for your industry/trade of choice.

5. Candidates called in for interview are between 6 and 10 – so what? So, when you are invited for an interview, you have quite a good chance of receiving a job offer. Don’t waste it. Prepare.

6. It takes 3-6 weeks to get an offer – be patient with the recruitment process.

7. 56% of formerly unemployed people learned about their current job through networking. This statistics proves something that most of us already know – when job hunting, utilize your network, be proactive, and get creative.

8. Less than 30% of people applying online receive a response – quite a small percentage isn’t it? If you don’t want to wait around to get notice, we should devise a proactive strategy and approach the companies and positions that match your talents and interests.

9. Women apply when they meet 100% of the requirements; while men – if they meet 60%. Women definitely need to work on their self-confidence and start reading the job advertisements with a more critical eye – what’s a must and what is a nice to have. A career coach can be of great help in this process.

10. 1 in 3 employers rejected candidates based on something they found about them online – take care of your online image. Google your name and your email address and review the results through the eyes of a critical employer. If there is something you don’t like, chances are your potential employer won’t either, so take care of it.

Do you need a partner who will guide and assist you throughout the job search process? Get in touch and we will discuss the best ways I can be of service.