Are you holding back your job search?

I had a prospect client call me this morning who was referred by a former client. She lost her job in November and needed a resume.

I usually start the conversation with “Have you been to my website yet?”

If the answer is no, I give the prospect more information about today’s job search to help them understand the value of the professional resume.

“No, I don’t own a computer.”

However, her answer wasn’t just no. It was “No, I don’t own a computer.” She said it so emphatically that I decided I needed to find out how she was going to use her resume. 99% of job seekers need to submit online or email at some point in the job search.

I explained job search changed dramatically. My products enable the job seeker to conduct an online search and be able to connect with employers electronically.

I asked if she had a friend who had a computer and Internet access she could use to move her job search forward. No. She said she planned to take the resume to Job Service and have them help her upload it on their computers. I explained how my pricing worked to find out if she budgeted for my services.

How was this job seeker holding back her search?

She shared she lost her job in November. But she called me in March. She was not replacing an ineffective resume, she didn’t have one. I am not sure if she had been looking previously. By not preparing a value-filled resume immediately when she was let go, she was holding back her job search. I knew early in the conversation that she wasn’t likely to invest in her job search either.

If you don’t own a computer, you need to plan to use someone’s computer. What’s wrong with Job Service? Nothing, if it is one part of your job search plan. But there is so much more that you can do in a job search and limiting yourself to when you go to their office will handicap your job search.

There isn’t a Job Service office in the country big enough to accommodate all job seekers if they decided to execute a proactive job search. If you have a friend who doesn’t mind letting you come over and jump online at least on a daily basis, you will be so much better off.

Contrast the proactive job seeker

A proactive job seeker will get much farther. Contrast this woman holding back her job search with my recent client, Mary. Mary contacted me as soon as she knew she had lost her job. She hadn’t even finished her last day yet when she hired me on December 12. Christmas was coming up and New Year’s too but Mary didn’t delay.

She met with me multiple days in a row right before and after Christmas. She bought a multifaceted package and we created a value-driven resume that showcased her accomplishments:

• Launched grassroots initiative in underdeveloped market, which increased recruitment, consultant retention, and market growth, resulting in recruiting 47 new consultants, four new leaders, and increased sales by 80%.
• Spearheaded and maximized consistent growth of $30 million region named “the Di–Namite Region.”

Mary worked with me as I wrote and optimized her LinkedIn profile. I coached her to help her prepare for the multiple interviews she had with one of the prospect companies. She was so ready.

Success story

Mary started her new job on February 11 with an increase in salary of $2000 and a car allowance of $800 per month. She is busy getting up-to-speed in her new role.

Mary was seeking upper management roles. I would guess that the other prospect job seeker wasn’t but you still have to work to get a job today. Computers are critical. Be proactive and invest early in job search help from a professional to expedite your job search. An expert helps target positions to make your investment one of the smartest you will ever make.

Holding back your job search by starting too late or thinking you can job search the way you did 20 years ago won’t work. You will be holding back your job search that much longer.

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