Inc Magazine had a great article in their April issue aimed towards helping companies find talented candidates in a crowded talent pool. I read the article and thought, “I can turn this around, so it can be applied to the candidates themselves. The same tips they are telling the companies to look for in people can be used to stand out to those companies. It’s win-win.”
The Problem for Both: The Shotgun Approach Has a Low Success Rate
The article opens with a story about a Dallas fast-food chain looking to hire 32 employees in anticipation of opening a new store. They posted positions on the 2 major online job boards (Monster and CareerBuilder). They bought ads in the Dallas Morning News and advertised over the local radio stations. The result: 10,000 resumes. It’s the recruiting version of the shotgun approach. “Just send out as many postings as possible, that’ll give us the most resumes to look through…” The problem: They didn’t focus their efforts. Blasting the openings out across all media outlets will result in all different kinds of people with all different kinds of skill sets applying for positions. The same can be said for applicants who send their resume to 1000 different job postings in the hopes that someone will bite. I wrote here and here how this just doesn’t work.
Solution 1: Focus on the Industry
It’s okay to use job boards, but go local. For recruiters, this allows them to reduce the number of applicants that don’t have the qualifications. For candidates, this narrows the competition because not everyone uses the local job boards. You stand out more. The article lists a lot of unique websites but I would recommend doing your own searches to find out what works best for your needs.
Solution 2: Make Sure the Resume Has the Right Words
The article recommends using special recruiting software that is designed to automate the screening process. It helps companies narrow the results by ruling out candidates that do not have enough education, or aren’t skilled in a particular area. For candidates, my recommendation would be to make sure your resume contains the facts needed to get through these screeners. If the job you are applying for requires project management skills make sure it is mentioned in your resume.
Solution 3: Pass the Test
They recommend testing the candidates early in the process to measure various skills. Examples used are typing speed, QuickBooks knowledge, or even people skills. My recommendation: You probably shouldn’t be applying to the job if you don’t think you are going to pass the test.
Solution 4: It’s Who You Know
This one is obvious. Use social-networks such as Linked-In, or ask friends for referrals. Try and find someone that works at the company and reach out to them. Being referred internally greatly increases your chances compared to an outsider.
Final Thoughts
It was very easy to apply these recommendations to the candidate even though the article was written for companies. If you’re stuck in your search don’t be afraid to try to apply a story written for them and relate it to your situation. Who knows, it just might work.
