In Pursuit of Profession: The 7 secrets of a successful job hunter – Part 2 of 2
Last week, we discussed the first three of seven “secrets” of a successful job hunter with our long-time contributor Steve Peglar, Senior Vice President of WhitneySmith Company, a full-service human resources consulting firm based in Fort Worth. Before we get into the final four, let’s recap the first three:
▪ Make the most of your time…and network, network, network! The average time it takes to find a job – from the moment a job search begins to the point of accepting an offer – is typically two months. During that time, job seekers should focus as much energy as possible on networking.
▪ Just when you think you’re done…they pull you back in. According to a recent Careerbuilder.com survey, 54 percent of employers re-engage with past candidates who were not given job offers to fill other positions or contract opportunities. So make sure to stay in touch!
▪ Resume, schmesume? According to the same Careerbuilder.com survey above, more than half (53 percent) of employers say a resume doesn't provide enough information for them to assess whether someone is a good fit for the job. While a “killer cover letter” is probably dead on arrival, Peglar suggests that social media profiles, like LinkedIn, are essential for a majority of occupations and it is crucial to keep them current.
The final four
▪ Be a big softie. According to a recent Careerbuilder.com study, 63 percent of employers said that soft skills are one of the top things they are trying to rate during the hiring process. So, if demonstrating superior soft skills during the hiring process and/or interview is so important, what’s the best way to do that?
Peglar first suggests that we understand the difference between “hard” and “soft” skills. Second, his take is that a good demonstration of one’s soft skills starts way before the interview. “There are two main elements that will determine success on just about any job. The first of these relates to what a candidate “brings to the table” in terms of hard skills, education, certifications, licenses, work history, and so forth. These types of things are usually fairly easy for a potential employer to verify up front, even before a candidate is interviewed,” said Peglar. “What is much harder to determine – and what is also much more critical – is the second element…specifically, what the candidate does or is capable of doing with those things that they bring to the table, and how they will behave on the job once employed. What I’m referring to here are the “soft skills” - things like basic personality traits, interpersonal and communication skill and ability, personal values system, attitude, etc. All of these complex human dynamics are very difficult to determine prior to hiring an individual, but they will ultimately determine how the candidate will likely behave on the job. They cannot be effectively highlighted or communicated in any resume or cover letter by the candidate, however, and must instead be accurately assessed by the potential employer through effective and thorough interviewing, reference checking, and administering pre-employment workplace behavior and personality profiles.”
▪ Beat the average. The average job seeker puts in 11 hours per week looking for a new job. For Peglar, that amount of time simply won’t cut it. “You must take the process seriously and treat the entire activity as a full-time job in order to achieve maximum success. An individual spending only 11 hours per week on the process is not likely to be pleased with their job search results,” said Peglar. Think of it this way, if looking for a job should be a full-time job (which Peglar suggests), then 11 hours is way short of the 40-plus hours a week that most full-time employees are working.
▪ Think outside your box or make it better on the inside. According to Careerbuilder.com, one in three people (36 percent) work in a career that is not related to their degree. Unless it’s a very specialized field such as astrophysicist or sheep farmer, most employers are looking to see if you have relevant “hard skills” and if your “soft skills” are a good fit for the organization. However, if we’re in a situation where we feel that our current job no longer matches our desires, Peglar reminds us to keep an open mind. “I’m somewhat of an idealist, and I love to see people ultimately finding their “dream job” or career that perfectly matches their personality and values system. I don’t think that any of us should stop pursuing that goal. However, research seems to indicate that very often, our ideal job can be realized and achieved in whatever job we are currently doing right now. It’s often what we decide to make of it. Granted, there are plenty of individuals out there in clearly less than ideal jobs, but if we can somehow manage to find our own purpose and meaning in whatever it is that we are doing, we may all be happier as a result,” Peglar said.
▪ A job hunters market? Careerbuilder.com suggests that competition for quality employees is heating up and that 66 percent of employers plan to offer higher starting salaries this year. So, what’s the best way to negotiate for better pay, and other benefits, during the hiring process? “As with so many other aspects of the job search, when and how we negotiate pay will depend on the specifics of each situation,” said Peglar. “Sometimes, the recruiter or interviewer will indicate up front to the candidate plenty of details about what the pay will be for the position, while at other times the subject is never addressed at all. If the issue of salary does come up, job seekers should be prepared to have an honest discussion with the interviewer about their particular expectations and requirements. My advice to job seekers is to first know what is the least you would accept to perform whatever role it is for which you are interviewing. Just as importantly, a job seeker should have a realistic knowledge and understanding of what the “market rate” is for the particular position. Nearly every job out there is worth a specific level of pay, based on whatever the market for the job happens to be.
“Remember also that money is not the only form of compensation that can be sought after and negotiated by a job seeker, nor is money even the greatest motivational tool for employees (according to research). Other workplace benefits such as flexible work schedules and extra vacation time, for example, may be just as valuable – or more – to many job seekers, and most certainly may be seen as their own forms of compensation. Negotiations shouldn’t always be just about the dollars!”
This story was originally published July 29, 2016 at 12:01 PM with the headline "In Pursuit of Profession: The 7 secrets of a successful job hunter – Part 2 of 2."