3 ideas to help get a better response to job postings

Anything is a better response than nothing, right? Too often job seekers tell me they hear nothing when they apply for jobs. Intrinsically, this shows me there is a problem.

First clue? The words: Apply for jobs. You may have heard my rant about online applications before so if you have, be patient. Online job applications have their place. They get you into the system for the employer. The online job posting may be a requirement for federal or state regulations.

Online job postings also clog the system. You will hear this from everyone on the other side of the application process. They can't read the resumes. There are too many applications. Most of the people who apply aren't qualified. It takes too much time.

Identify the decision-maker to get  a better response

Who is that person?

Surprise! The person who wants to hire you isn't HR! Rather, the person who wants to hire you is the person who needs your expertise in their area:

• The Director of Engineering needs to hire you if you are an engineer because he can't deliver the project without your help.
• The Head of Nursing needs to hire you, the Registered Nurse, when the patient count is higher than the present staff can handle.
• The VP of IT needs to hire you, the Director of Project Management, when she has a project that is unraveling and needs closer leadership and direction.

Get the idea? You may feel that you want a job. Maybe you need a job. You need to get the attention of the person who needs you.

Make more than one contact to get a better response

Some people think that you just need to apply and the company should reach you. This won't work, not if you just fell into a black hole!

Today, there are tools to identify companies and the people who are the decision-makers. The web has opened the door to discovery and yet there are people who never use any of those tools:

• LinkedIn
• Google
• Company Websites
• Google Maps - Susan Joyce, owner of the comprehensive job search platform, Job-Hunt.org states: "Google Maps can be a very handy way to find local employers you may not know about."

Combine these tools, finding a company you didn't know existed with Google Maps, researching their company website, analyzing their reputation via Google, and then finding key contacts with LinkedIn.

Use the phone to get a better response

We are afraid of the phone today. Amazingly in a time when most of the population carries a phone in their pocket, we are afraid to make a call. We message, text, and sometimes email. I used to have multiple phone conversations a day. Now days can go by before my phone rings with anyone but a telemarketer.

Try the phone. Sure, you can get voicemail but leave a message. I always call people back. Don't assume that the person you are calling won't call back.

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