Although our firm, Market Partners International (MPI), does a lot of different kinds of consulting, we’re known for recruiting. We’ve found presidents, publishers, publicists, and production pros – you get the drift. As a result, we’re often the first call after someone is laid off or fired, or just restless. And because we talk to people in various stages of their search for a new job opportunity, we are able to gauge who is likely to land somewhere and thrive, rather than spin their wheels until they give up or take whatever comes along, regardless of the fit.
Some who are laid off are given the option of outplacement. Take it; the one-on-one coaching, access to courses, opportunity to network and practical help with resume writing and LinkedIn profile development are very helpful. If you aren’t offered it by your company, ask for it.
If this isn’t an option, there are ways to approximate some of these services. Most job boards, like Indeed and LinkedIn offer resume building tips for little or no money. But a surefire way to improve your LinkedIn profile is to look at profiles of colleagues whose job titles are similar to yours.
Two areas that don’t always get attention are the “About” section and the “Contact” section. The former should be robust (boastful!) and the latter should include an email address (and if you have one, a website) so that people can reach you without going through in-platform messaging.
It’s always surprising to find that people who are not actively job-hunting don’t feel the need to create a fleshed-out profile. Does that mean you never want to be approached about an opportunity, or you want to wait until you’re playing catch-up, after the pink slip? Plus, having a good profile makes it easier to engage with other industry colleagues whom you might meet at parties and conferences.
Meanwhile, be aware of applicant tracking systems – which many companies use to weed out applicants. How to game the system so that your resume isn’t held up before it lands on the right executive’s desk? Julie Blattberg, a senior advisor to MPI and a metadata expert, reminds us that it’s important to add relevant keywords to your profile, resume, and cover letter. “Consider the work you do and your areas of expertise. Then, think like a recruiter—or a search engine. Use industry- and role-specific terms. For example, a senior marketer might include “management experience,” “content strategy,” and “customer acquisition”—phrases that can be easily understood by humans and identified by filters.”
Remember that some companies use software to process and prioritize inbound applications before a human ever lies eyes on any individual’s documents.
So when applying for a specific role, she added: “It’s a good idea to mirror language in the published job description, but only do so where pertinent to you and your experience. When updating a dusty resume, look for keywords and verbiage from job specs of roles you aspire to.”
“Open to Work” or not?
There’s much debate about whether to add this label to your LinkedIn profile. While nowadays there’s pretty much no stigma about being unemployed, someone who is casually liking your post or comment may think twice if he or she anticipates a follow-up request for help in your search.
On the other hand, people who are hiring – whether full time or part time, will have you on their radar. Speaking of part-time, some job seekers don’t want to take on a consulting job for fear it will interfere with their search or that they’ll land a job before the project is done. Neither is an issue, especially if you’re clear about your end goal of full-time work.
Taking on consulting work will keep you engaged and, ideally, gives you a potential reference who can speak to your strengths. As for leaving a gig for a full-time job, fear not — other consultants will happily take on the project.
What makes a good candidate?
What makes a good job seeker? Some qualities are obvious: a candidate who’s well prepared, with an updated resume and LinkedIn profile, and a clear idea of which skills are needed to perform the job.
Todd Berman, a former VP Sales Director at Penguin Random House who just landed a position at a university press, also thinks it’s important to know what you liked in previous positions, and what you want from your next job. He credits Phyl Terry’s Never Search Alone: The Job Seeker’s Playbook with focusing his efforts so that he could enunciate that when he networked. Terry has created more than a thousand Job Search Councils which individuals can join at no cost other than the price of the book. In Berman’s group there were five people from disparate industries who met once a week to provide feedback, coaching and perhaps most importantly, structure, to the search process. All five have found jobs since they started their group less than six months ago.
While an applicant’s belief that an opportunity is worth pursuing is key, keep in mind that the job doesn’t exist simply as a great fit for your aspirations. And regardless of how the interviews go, everyone should get a “thank-you” email. A client recently turned down a candidate who neglected that step, because she was deemed “insufficiently eager” for the job. This lapse was especially flagrant as the candidate was interviewing for a publicity role; a PR pro would know that relationship management tactics like TY notes are table stakes during the interview process.
But getting to the hiring manager often takes more than belief in a good alignment of aspiration and job description and a great resume. It usually involves extensive networking. One person looking for a job tells us that he has a spreadsheet of people he’s contacted, when he first talked with them, what they discussed, and when a follow-up is appropriate. (We have had people contact us more than once without remembering our previous conversations.)
When talking to a potential networking contact, it’s important to make it a dialogue; that person has a job, a life, and a network too. It’s also important to briefly recount your “story” – whether your path to unemployment or (as the case may be) concern about potential unemployment.
Finally, a follow-up email is always appreciated, and job seekers who then tell their network that they’ve snagged a terrific position thanks to their help, are spreading good karma – which even the most seasoned networker or hardened recruiter will appreciate.
Good luck!
