Brigitte Hyacinth shares an amazing insight!
“I’ve sent out 300 resumes and only got one interview. What am I doing wrong?”
I get many questions like this. The TRUTH is:
1. Most hiring managers already know whom they are going to hire. It may be an internal candidate. Sometimes they are just going through the formalities to give a facade of transparency.
2. Discrimination exists especially if you are over a certain age (OVERQUALIFIED) or have an “Employment GAP” in your job history.
3. Many resumes go to the reject pile unread.
My advice: NETWORK! Connect with the decision-makers. Most people get hired due to familiarity rather than actual merit. Talk to 100 people in your network rather than apply for 100 jobs via job boards. LinkedIn is the perfect place to start. As the saying goes, "It's Not What You Know. It's Who You Know."
Sadly when we are rejected we blame ourselves. Always try to get feedback from interviewer on how you can improve but don’t beat up yourself. As a society I believe we need to stop defining ourselves by our job/title. So keep trying. It’s just a matter of time. Seasons change. It won’t rain forever, the sun must shine through. What is meant for you, will not pass you by.
It's not about how many 'no's' you hear, it's about that ONE YES.
Some comments from this post
Build relationships before sending anything
There is something decision makers and HR teams can takeaway from this: Respond.
Whether it's an automated response or a personal one, knowing that the email hit your inbox allows applicants to rest a bit easier.
Not responding and ignoring follow ups tells applicants, or those interested in networking, a lot about how you do business - and that’s not a good thing.
Stay focussed, positive and persevere and things will come good
It’s not what you know - it’s who you know
People deal with people they know like and trust - how do you build that klt? What’s your point of difference ?
What’s a good way to network with people if I want to relocate and get a job in London (UK) when I'm currently in Oslo, Norway?
I'm searching for work in talent acquisition, personnel management. I have relevant experience in the food service industry :)
Any tips?
Great advice. Thank you. I will graduate in May and my decision to move out the town I am in or stay depends tremendously on my networking