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EMPLOYMENT


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The surprising ‘new normal’ of the job search


By LARRY BUHL Monster Contributing Writer


The upheaval of the job market has


sent many experienced workers scram- bling to update their resumes, only to fi nd that the job search rules they had been following have fundamentally changed. Experts say these changes were brought on only partly by the soft job market, and aren’t likely to go away if and when the economy improves. It’s a whole new ballgame, experts say, and those who understand how to play stand a much better chance of winning. So if you’ve been out of the job market for a while, get to know these four ways in which the job search has changed:


The hidden job market has


grown Benefi t: You can be innovative in your


job search. Challenge: You can’t wait for jobs to


open up. A huge number of professional jobs


are fi lled without ever being advertised. Part of the reason is that hiring managers don’t have time to sift through hundreds


or even thousands of resumes. That’s not to say that answering a job post is a waste of time, just that it should be only one search strategy, according to work- place consultant Jake Greene, author of “Whoa, My Boss is Naked.” “Hiring managers will often con- sider people they already know when a job opens up,” Greene says. “You have to establish rapport, so you’ll be on their radar and have the upper hand when there’s an opening.”


Technology can turbocharge


your job search Benefi t: There are more ways to apply


for a job. Challenge: There are more ways to


screen you out. Technology has allowed candidates


to easily research companies and hiring managers, and companies now expect you to do this, according to Greene. “By using the Internet, you can learn most of what you should know before you go into an interview, so you can ask in- formed questions,” he says. On the other hand, assume a com-


pany will do a thorough background check on you. That means your credit score and even those benign photos of you on Facebook are easily accessible, and could be used against you. “Clean up your information on Facebook, untag yourself from anything that’s potentially embarrassing and Google yourself to see what employers will see,” says Roberta Chinsky Matuson, president of Human Resource Solutions and author of Sud- denly in Charge.


Social media have opened up


networking opportunities Benefi t: You can meet many more


people.


Challenge: You have to work it. You can grow your network more


than ever before by using online profes- sional networking tools, and if you’re not adapting to the social media landscape, you’re missing out. But using social media in your job search requires daily practice. “You must be diligent in asking for recommendations, building your net- work (and) updating your profi le,” says Bob Bennett, global search consultant at the recruiting fi rm The Mergis Group. “If you do these things right, your reach will be phenomenal.”


tion


Companies demand perfec- Benefi t: They usually settle for near


perfection. Challenge: You have to prove your


skills are transferable. Companies rarely train now, and they


expect new hires to have all the skills they need on Day 1. “Though they won’t tell you this, what they’re really looking for is someone who can adapt and think,” Bennett says. “If you don’t have all of the skill sets a


company wants, in your cover letter em- phasize the ones you do have and how you’re willing and able to learn the rest,” says Cheryl Ferguson, recruitment part- ner with recruitment services company Decision Toolbox.


What hasn’t changed Personal chemistry: A good resume


may get you a phone interview, but the likeable candidate will probably get the job. “It always comes down to who the manager really wants to work with,” Bennett says. Common-sense etiquette: Though


technology is pervasive, we’re still not at the point where it’s OK to send a text message in an interview, Ferguson says. “You still need to show up to the inter- view on time, turn off your phone, be polite, say thank you, check your spelling and grammar, and don’t write ‘LOL’ in your emails.”


Thank-you letters: Few candidates


write interview thank-you notes on pa- per, and that’s where you can stand out, Bennett says. “It’s very retro to write a personalized thank-you note or card, and that’s why it works.”


Copyright 2012 - Monster Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. You may not copy, reproduce or distribute this article without the prior written permission of Monster Worldwide. This article fi rst appeared on Monster, the leading online global network for careers. To see other career-related articles, visit: http://career- advice.monster.com


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