If you do nothing, nothing will happen!
photo by Lauren Manning
Sounds logical, doesn’t it? But I find that many job seekers think that all they need is to get the resume written. Never mind that many resumes don’t have any value and don’t sell the job seeker. That’s a different problem.
Assume that the resume is top-notch, tells the story, and shows the value. What are you going to do with it? Ok, you applied online. Now you are sitting and waiting for the phone to ring. Guess what? It often doesn’t ring.
You need to find alternate methods to make sure you are found. You need to let people know you are looking. You need to let them know what value you bring.
Story of a recent successful job seeker
Job seeker found that her position would downsize from $70,000 to $25,000 by May 1. She was in a sales / management role and only the sales portion would remain. Proactive, she contacted me as soon as she read the jobseeker makeover story in the paper. In part, her first e-mail to me read:
Incredible timing of your newspaper article. I just received notice of termination on Friday. But I need your help in preparing my resume so I can have the WOW factor.
What made the difference in her jobsearch?
- Proactive— she didn’t sit on her hands waiting for the days to tick by.
- Willing to invest—Understood the value of an expert to shorten the search and give her the advice she needed.
- Focused — Not only did she start the project, she dedicated time to collaborate and work with me to make sure I understand her value and gave her every tool to win.
- Valued networking — With her sales background, she could immediately start connecting with people who could help her. She didn’t just answer ads, she made sure people knew she needed help.
- Good Negotiator — Not only did she end up with a new position by May 1 (her goal), she negotiated terms so that she will end up with a salary $5000 more than her prior pay and left the door open for future incentives.
Yes, she’s hired! It was hard work for a bit and it was scary and not everyone was supporting her in the process. But in the end, she won!
4 Comments
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Julie Walraven
Professional Resume Writer
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You may be halfway across the country or the world. When you work with me, we share coffee, laughs, and concerns. This turns the scary job search into creative, consultative writing and learning sessions.
Julie, I am starting to believe that initiative is an uncommon skill, and that of all the skills a job seeker can demonstrate, it’s the single most valuable.
I think you are very right, Ed! Maybe it is driven by fear, but I have to wonder, fear of what!
That’s right. I agree – if your looking for a job, you can’t afford to sit back and just wait for things to happen. Great article!
Thank you so much for the comment!