A lot of the job search is waiting: you send a resume and wait for an interview; you go on an interview and wait for more interviews; you go on more interviews and wait for the offer; you negotiate the offer and wait for the response; etc. In a shaky economy like the present, the waiting can be even longer as budgets are slow to be approved. To keep this wait time from becoming wasted time.
A lot of the job search is waiting: you send a resume and wait for an interview; you go on an interview and wait for more interviews; you go on more interviews and wait for the offer; you negotiate the offer and wait for the response; etc. In a shaky economy like the present, the waiting can be even longer as budgets are slow to be approved. To keep this wait time from becoming wasted time:
Keep your profile fresh in their mind. Don’t let out of sight become out of mind. Thank you letters are great for reminding the employer about you in between interviews. In addition, sending articles of interest and referring ideas and/or contacts keep the conversation going in a creative way.
Take care of yourself. Press on with company and industry research to keep your mind sharp. Go to the gym to keep your energy up. Treat yourself to a night out with friends or a spa visit to keep your spirit high.
Continue with other companies. Don’t let your search stagnate. You do non-medical errands, as you wait in your doctor’s office. Pursue other prospects unrelated to this particular search. This means continuing with other target companies, even when one company shows potential. There are many reasons why any one job doesn’t come through, and some are out of your control, so use the time when your search lulls to develop alternatives.
Is Your Job Search Flexible or Just Unfocused?
As a recruiter, I’ve seen lack of flexibility on the recruiting side with employers clinging to every last detail in their ideal spec while perfectly good candidates get overlooked. As a career coach, I see jobseekers prematurely dismissing possible targets waiting for that perfect job. It’s true that you want to be focused in your job search (otherwise you dilute your efforts and come across as scattered and possibly desperate).
5 Questions to Test If Your Resume Is Recruiter-Proof
After recruiting in search and in-house for over ten years, I have read thousands of resumes. Due to sheer volume of resumes received and all the other things that vie for the recruiter’s attention in the hiring process – scheduling, interviewing, networking, reference checks, client debriefs, and more – the resume review process is ruthlessly quick.
Why Conventional Wisdom On Work Flexibility Is Always Wrong
In a previous post, I wrote about why employment statistics are always wrong. In a similar way, conventional wisdom on work flexibility is always wrong. It is impossible to generalize something that is inherently case-by-individual case. Therefore, any boilerplate advice or conventional wisdom is bound to omit a key consideration, underweight or overemphasize other considerations, or take too long-term or short-term of a view.
