Don't Play the Victim
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As a hiring manager, how would you respond to a statement like this in a job inquiry?
I have spent countless hours on job posting boards, with no luck in getting interviews due to the overwhelming amount of applicants.
I do understand the job search is difficult, but, while this may be true, every candidate looking for a job in 2009 is in the same position.
Don’t…
- Play the victim, make excuses, or display a negative attitude. It’s not an attractive quality to employers and wallowing in self-pity only brings on more pressure than necessary.
- Rely on job boards as your primary or only tool to find a position.
- Blame a difficult and lengthy job search on the economy, your ex-employer, a competitive market, or anything for that matter, in your presentation materials.
Do… Nature Unleashed: Earthquake video
- Enlist the emotional support and help of other friends, family, and colleagues. Get involved in activities that help you keep your chin up (sports, exercise, volunteering).
- Network, network, network. The more people you connect with, apart from the job boards, the more hidden opportunities will come to your attention.
- Cut yourself some slack if you don’t get the job. The competition is fierce and only one person lands the deal. A rejection doesn’t have to be taken personally. It can always be viewed as a learning experience and professional networking opportunity.
Photo credit: Amanky
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Date: September 9th, 2009 / Author: Lindsay
Posted in Recruiting / Tags: job search, positive thinking
2 Comments - Add yours!
Jamie Favreau (September 9th, 2009)
I will say I have a targeted approach to the organization I applied for. I had done an informational interview with the VP a few months back so I have talked to him a few times since then. So I asked him to pass on my resume, then I saw the job postings both on Twitter, FB and LI. So I responded on FB and then the accounts director who is super smart… Well he responded to my email to him asking him all kinds of questions. So he was really informative. Then I have a friend who introduced me to another person in the organization. I hope to talk to her too. Plus, another friend passed my resume onto the president but I haven’t heard back.
So if anything they are going to hear my name over and over.
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This blog is to share my recruiting experiences and discuss thoughts on the job market, PR industry and technology.
Stephanie M. (September 9th, 2009)
I started my job search in early June of this year. I will admit that it’s tough out there but not because of all the competition, rather because of the precious few opportunities that appealed to me.
Those two things go hand in hand but even in these troubled times, I still found that…
-If I felt I was really qualified and fit for a certain position, I at the very least got a phone interview.
-If my skill set was aligned with their job description, I got a face to face.
-Once I got a chance to meet face to face to show case my personality and not just my stats, I got a 2nd interview.
-Of the two 2nd/3rd interviews I went to, the job that was a perfect fit, both for my employer and for me, gave me an offer.
I accepted my offer July 31, after a month and a half of job searching. I had to apply for the job twice: Once with my generic pitch (used during the first two weeks of my search) and a second time with a targeted and re-framed message (used towards the end of my search)
Was it difficult? Yes, but when is job prospecting easy?
Moral of the story: Don’t blame the economy. “Luck is when opportunity meets prepreation.”
I’m just sayin’…