What are the worthwhile risks to take in our career searches? Do we really have nothing to lose by taking a risk?
In this job search there has been a theme that surrounds the concept of “I have nothing to lose by doing ______ in my search for new career opportunity”. Is that true?
Job seekers, I would like to know how you are proceeding in your searches, and employers, how do you perceive imagination landing at your office door? What are we doing that works for both roles in meeting and interviewing, and what doesn't?
I am a career seeker and have been so for more than a year. One thing that I am learning as part of this experience is that you have to consider things that you wouldn't have considered a few months ago.
What would you do to get noticed by that hiring manager? There are stories of sending someone a shoe with a resume in it to symbolize getting your foot in the door. Or sending a coffee cup with an invitation to meet. Personally, I sit about 15 feet from the office door of the HR manager at the organization where I volunteer and would like to work. How much can I do without becoming a pest rather than an opportunity? How do you get invited for that interview and get offered that job that you want - and can succeed at - without transitioning into a stalker?
Do we really have nothing to lose by going out on that limb? What have you done to find a job that might fall in the "I've got nothing to lose, so I'm going to be BOLD and really go for that job!" category.
We all know about resumes and cover letters. What are the worthwhile risks to take in our career searches?
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"How do you get invited for that interview and get offered that job that you want - and can succeed at - without transitioning into a stalker?"
ReplyDeleteI laughed when I read this, Kathy... I envision dozens of desperate job seekers with their shoes, their coffee cups, their resumes, and their eager-beaver faces hanging around the desk of the HR manager. And the HR and hiring managers asking themselves, "If I hire one of these desperate people, am I really getting the best person for this position... or merely the most obnoxious?"
I do think that the risk is in seeming desperate... or just annoying. But if you are looking for a sales position or perhaps a creative position, then that kind of persistence or creativity would certainly be a plus.
I was hiring back in the early 80's and I don't believe that the people who called repeatedly had any advantage over the others.. I was looking at experience and capacities.
The problem is getting passed those ATS.
Oops... should have been "getting past those ATS's."
ReplyDeleteI am going to be cynical here - the company that you volunteer for don't need to hire you. They already get your best endeavours for free! There is little more you can do besides have an open discussion about the type of roles there that might interest you (and if you could live sufficiently on the pay) and express an interest should something come up. Your only leverage - since they already have your best endeavours for free - is that by paying you they would unleash your full potential since you would not be worrying how to make ends meet. And you could commit to larger projects. I don't know how that translates into PM speak.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing you can and should do (and which I omitted to do recently in connection with some voluntary work) is ask them for a reference, preferably something visible on LinkedIn. That cuts both ways - if you get a career move because they give you a reference, they lose your services - so they might not be keen to do this.
Occasionally, employers (voluntary sector or otherwise) take the view that if you are working for nothing that is really all you aspire to, that you are doing it to stave off terminal boredom. You need to cultivate a 'restless' feeling.
No need to stalk on Linked In- set your prowling status to 'visible' and go leave footprints all over the target's profile / website . Except this presumes your target is clued up on these things, or you might have to resort to leaving comments on their blog.