Hiring Through Elimination

by Angela Copeland | Oct 31, 2023 | Career Corner Column, Job Search, Newsletter

Hiring can be tough. At times, it is similar to online dating. The hiring manager is often flooded with applicants. There are more potential employees (and in the case of dating, more singles) than anyone could ever truly sort through. So, what’s a hiring manager to do?

Unfortunately, most hiring managers use an elimination method. They try to look at what may be “wrong” with the candidates. Very often, there may not truly be anything wrong with the candidates. Often, they may be different than other candidates in some way. For example, a job may not require a master’s degree. But, if you are the only candidate who doesn’t have one, you may be eliminated from the consideration set.

Similarly, a company may be looking for someone with similar experience to their existing employees, or to the previous employee in the role. If you don’t have experience from the same industry, you may be eliminated from consideration.

Companies also look for employees who have similar work situations today. For example, a company may be hesitant to hire someone who is currently self-employed. Or a small company may be hesitant to hire someone from a large company, and vice versa. Similar rules apply when it comes to things like visa sponsorships, or any other notable difference. Any sort of difference can create a hurdle to get over.

Unfortunately, the same is true for perceived differences. Recruiters and hiring managers often read through twenty or more resumes in one sitting. They make quick judgements in order to efficiently work through the line of candidates. This can at times results in incorrect assumptions about your background. These incorrect assumptions can remove you from consideration.

There a few takeaways from this. First, if a recruiter shares why you weren’t selected, maintain a sense of perspective. First, they are likely sharing a quick judgement. Second, they are comparing you to a specific group of candidates. If you were the one candidate without a specific qualification this time, you may find this qualification is not even considered at the next job you apply to. Candidate pools are ever changing, and recruiter feedback is worth what you pay for it.

As a job seeker, you can help to combat these incorrect judgements by providing a cover letter with your application – and by customizing your resume. Use your cover letter to tell your story. Explain why you believe you stand out from the other candidates. Then, mirror the language and qualifications from the job description in your resume. This won’t solve every problem, but it can help in your search.

The job search process can be long and painful. Try to keep pushing forward. Just like dating, it only takes one great hiring manager for things to fall into place. Realize that you are not alone. Every candidate except for one received a reason that they are not a good fit, or are not qualified.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

September Job Market Heats Up

by Angela Copeland | Oct 10, 2023 | Career Corner Column, Job Search, Newsletter

There’s exciting news in the September jobs report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In September, the job market in the U.S. far exceeded anyone’s predictions. A total of 336,000 jobs were added. This is in comparison to economists’ predictions of 170,000 jobs. The unemployment rate also remained steady at 3.8 percent. This is great news for many job seekers, who are continuing to look for new employment opportunities.

These job gains were the most pronounced among the fields of leisure and hospitality and government. Leisure and hospitality added 96,000 jobs in September. This far outpaced the average of 61,000 jobs seen each month over the past 12 months. Food services jobs rose by 61,000 jobs. This has helped to return the industry to the pre-pandemic levels observed in February of 2020. Accommodation employment is also continuing to grow. However, it remains at 10.3 percent less than what was observed pre-pandemic.

During September, government employment grew by 73,000. This is significantly higher than the trend of 47,000 observed over the prior 12 month period. These jobs were primarily added in state government education, and in local government.

Other industries saw positive growth as well. Although the healthcare industry added fewer jobs than previously seen, 41,000 jobs were added in September. Professional, scientific, and technical services jobs increased by 29,000. This is a consistent with the trend observed over the past 12 months.

Employment in the motion picture and sound recording industries trended down, and has declined by 45,000 jobs since May. This is a reflection of the labor disputes within this industry. It should be noted that this may be an underestimation, as many of the writers in the Writers Guild of America are contract workers, and are not included in the 45,000.

Other major industries did not see a positive or negative change in September. Mining, quarrying, oil and gas, construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, retail, and other services industries remained stable.

The average hourly wage has remained fairly consistent. It rose by 0.2 percent in September, and 4.2 percent over the past 12 months. The average hourly wage for all employees was $33.88.

If you’re looking for a new job, what does this growth mean for you? In certain industries, this may be a great time to look for a job. And, overall, the economy seems to be more resilient than even economists expected. Unfortunately, there may be negative consequences in other parts of the economy. But, overall, this is still great news for job seekers.

If you’re looking to land a new gig before the end of the year, do not wait. It typically takes two months or more to receive a job offer. There are times when it takes this long just to go through one interview process. The increase in jobs does not mean that landing a new job will be quick or easy. Don’t delay. Begin by cleaning up your resume today.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

Taking a Job Search Break

by Angela Copeland | Jun 19, 2023 | Career Corner Column, Job Search, Newsletter

If you’ve been looking for a new job in 2023, you can probably agree with one thing – you’re tired. The job application process is primarily online. Hundreds of applicants are able to apply to one job with just a few clicks. Now, there are ghost job postings, and new AI tools candidates must contend with. The market is full of people who were recently laid off. And, companies are considering putting hiring on hold in this uncertain economy.

To cope with job search burnout, some young people are taking a break from looking for a new job. They’re finding other ways to fill their time. And, with many living at home for longer, who can blame them?

If you’re unemployed and considering a break from your job search, you should keep a few things in mind. First, don’t forget that laws require you to be actively looking for a job to qualify for unemployment.

And, if you have been unemployed for a long period of time, you should keep in mind how it may shape outside perception. For example, if you quit a job to take a six month break, employers may begin to suspect you were fired from your last job. And, they may assume you didn’t find another job for six months because you were not a good candidate. This is something many job seekers do not consider until it’s too late.

Another pitfall is this. While unemployed, if you take a break from job searching, you may expect your time off to be relaxing. What most people never consider is that unemployment tends to be a very stressful time. You are likely to be worried about money, housing, and other basic needs.

If you decide to take a break, make it meaningful. In other words, do something that will add to your resume, and that you’ll feel proud to share. You might want to go back to graduate school to further your education. You might want to start a business. You might want to learn a new skill. You might want to do a little consulting. Or, you might donate your time to a local nonprofit.

After quitting my job years ago, I took an around the world, solo backpacking trip. I visited Europe, Asia, and Australia over the course of a few months. It was a great way to disconnect, reset, and refocus. As you can imagine, it’s been a great story to share during job interviews. It helps to explain the transition, and to create an engaging conversation.

It’s best to take time off after you receive a job offer. In other words, ask for a start date that is a few weeks out. That will give you a period of stress free time to unwind after your long search. But, if you do take time off, make it meaningful. What you do with this time will forever be part of your career story.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

Job Searching During a Downturn

by Angela Copeland | Jun 6, 2023 | Career Corner Column, Job Search, Newsletter

The first economic downturn I remember was the dot com crash in 2000. It was shocking that even the best computer engineers were struggling to get a job. Today’s economic downturn feels similar. Unfortunately, many people have been negatively impacted, as layoffs appear to be far reaching.

If you’re one of those people, keep hope. Economic downturns are temporary, and they aren’t universal. In 2000, I was studying computer programming. It felt like the entire world was losing their jobs. But, when I talk to people today who worked in other industries, the dot com crash was barely something they thought about.

If you are looking for a new job, keep the industry in mind. Try to find a company that sells something that is more recession proof. For example, a company that sells luxury products may be more likely to be at risk. A company that sells something more essential, such as pest control, may be a safer bet. If the company is publicly traded, read about it in the news. Look to see if their stock has fallen lately, or how analysts are speaking about them.

When you’re interviewing, keep job interviews going with multiple companies. Very often, a company will put a candidate through many rounds of interviews over a long period of time. Along the way, the company may even tell the candidate that they intend to give them a job offer. When a candidate hears this, they typically walk away from every other job opportunity. They want to focus in on the sure bet, and they are relieved to no longer need to keep up this long process.

But, so often, this scenario doesn’t end well. The company may not end up hiring the candidate after all. This leaves the candidate feeling out of control, and forces them to start searching all over again. You may wonder how in the world this could happen. The company could suddenly have an unexpected hiring freeze. The company could change their plans about hiring. Or, they could have simply overestimated how far the candidate might go in the process. Keep your options open until you receive a job offer in writing.

If you have always wanted to go back to graduate school, an economic downturn could be a good time to enroll. Going full time allows you to opt out of looking for a new job for a year or two. And, it gives you the opportunity to reenter the workforce as the downturn is ending, with more qualifications than you started with. It can be a great way to make a negative into a positive.

Whatever happens, keep up your networking – even when you are working. The best insurance you have against job insecurity is your network. It is especially important to nurture these connections when you don’t need anything. Then, if you find yourself in need, you’ll have a team of contacts ready to help out.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

You Are Valued

by Angela Copeland | May 8, 2023 | Career Corner Column, Job Search, Newsletter

For most people, switching jobs is not something they plan out in much detail. For the majority of job seekers, they have a personal connection to the job opening. The process is fairly straightforward and relatively painless. Most people tend to assume that’s what job seeking is like. This all changes when a job seeker is forced to proactively find a new job with no connections. Ask anyone who has landed a job completely on their own, and they will very likely have a harrowing story to share.

When a job seeker is searching on their own, the process can easily take anywhere from two to six months. This length of time is normal. It is not a reflection on the person’s abilities or worth. But, it certainly doesn’t feel that way. The issue is that the search process is completely different than when you know someone.

There are examples of difficult job searches shared every day on LinkedIn. Recently, a job seeker applied to 600 jobs. These applications led to 30 interviews. The 30 interviews ultimately led to one job offer. This job seeker had many years of experience and multiple advanced degrees. The entire process took three months.

And, a job search can often become elongated. The reason is that 570 rejections is emotionally exhausting. On top of this, friends and family judge the job seeker at how “difficult” their search is. It leaves the job seeker feeling worthless, and wondering if they’re even in the right career field.

Dear job seeker, please remember: it’s not you. The application process is broken. You are competing against hundreds of online applicants. You are also competing with the friends of the hiring manager. And, you are contending with less than ideal economic conditions.

But, you are prepared for this. The key is to not lose hope. It’s to realize that the system is broken; not you. You are the same talented, hardworking professional that you were before you started this search. You will find your path back.

Set goals for yourself. Keep doing your best to meet the goals, even when things feel difficult. In the example above, the job seeker applied to approximately 200 jobs per month, or 50 per week, or 10 per business day. This process is a lot of work, but it will result in success.

In addition to applications, sit down and write a list of all of the great things about your background. Perhaps you have fifteen years of experience in project management. You are great at organizing teams. You have advanced knowledge in specific topics. Once you have your list compiled, keep it handy. Each morning, read the list. Remind yourself of who you are.

You are valued. You are needed. You are the same person that you were before the economy started to turn. Outside factors changed, but you have not. You remain the same person you always have been.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach