The Top Reasons YOU are Not Getting That Job Offer
In this ever changing and frightening job market, people often do one of these routines: run out to the bookstore and buy the latest book about the search for that ‘perfect’ job, listen to some ‘specialist’ on a morning show, talk with a professional in a HR or a recruiter. We talk to women everyday who have been doing all of these things, AND MORE. And even with all this work, and a long list of companies that have received a copy of their resume - THEY STILL CANNOT FIND A JOB. Many extremely qualified women aren’t even getting a first interview. How can this be?
Apart from healthcare reform, this IS the topic most practically and personally challenging to millions of American workers today.
Women are the Most Powerful creatures on the Earth! So... Why are so many having SO MANY problems finding a new job?
Anybody that understands women understands how powerful a woman can be. Powerful in the way they look, walk and interact. Powerful in the way they carry themselves. Powerful in the ways in which they communicate their ideas. So why do women struggle so much in their job search? Where is – THE DISCONNECT - between that power of a woman and the power of securing that perfect job?
- Women by nature are nurturers, so women tend to stay in their current jobs longer than men do- Even when the writing is on the wall or even when they are told layoffs are coming.
Men tend to see the inevitable coming and take proper steps.
Women are Putting their Job Searches on hold to Prepare for the Holidays
...Men forge on with their Job Search. What’s Wrong with this Picture?
Women from across the US have decided to “pull back” on their job searches till “after the holidays.” What does that mean? A glut of resumes hit the market come January and that means more competition. But it’s far more than that…depending if you are employed and afraid you will lose your job at the end of December or are already unemployed.
If a woman is unemployed on December 1 and puts her job search “on hold” for the holidays, January 1 comes around and she has added another month to her “unemployment season”. It will also be 2010 and if she has been unemployed since 2009, it looks like a year gap on her resume. And perception does count in a job search.
2 Reasons Why You are NOT Getting the Offer in Your Job Search
In this ever changing and frightening job market, people run out to the bookstore, buy the latest book on job search, listen to the morning shows for information on the job market, and talk with HR and Recruiting professionals. People are listening to everyone else, but not understanding that they must look at their job search and ask the proverbial Dr. Phil question, “Is it working for you?” We don’t ask ourselves that. We just work harder and harder doing the same old things getting the same old results.
There are 2 reasons why you are either not getting in the right doors or you cannot secure the offer.
There are New Rules in Today's Job Search Game
We hear "times have changed," "the only thing never changes is change itself" and know from our years in the work place that "business is constantly changing," yet when we think about our Job search, we conduct our search in the mode - "business as usual."
Here's what we say:
"I'm good at what I do. Employers should be calling" - But nothing is happening.
"I'm working my network and no one is calling. The Market must be drying up."
"I have a good resume, but no one is calling. The economy is bad."
The 3 Sure Fire Things that will get You Hired.
People spend a lot of money doing a job search. They purchase job boards access, services that will put their resumes in the hands of recruiters, networking meetings, career coaches, life coaches, networking coffees, fancy stationary, resume writers. The list goes on and on.
Job Seekers make things too complicated. It seems that figuring out if a one page or two page resume is what companies and recruiters are looking for is the ultimate question. Functional or Chronological resume? Graphics? What font? Where do they put their education on their resumes?
There are only three reasons why a company will hire you...
3 Reasons Why Women Have to Put on Their “Game Hat” When Looking for a New Job.
There is a difference on how men and women approach their job search. If women truly understand the differences, it can help them get what they want.
Women tend to “downplay” their accomplishments. Women are not boastful by nature. Most women will spend time telling others how great they are, instead of focusing on themselves. This works with our families, our volunteer groups and in our leadership style, but in a job search, it could hinder us from reaching our goals.
7 Phases to a Woman’s “Job Search Pain Cycle”
Women have job search pain? Absolutely....
In fact, the job search pain starts even before we look for a job and whether we are employed or not. Here is the process, phase by phase. See if you don’t recognize yourself.
Phase 1 - We know something “isn’t right.” A woman’s intuition is better than any radar system. We feel it. We know things aren’t going right at work.
Phase 2 – A Major event happens at work.
The Myth of the Hidden Job Market
The problem - and the truth - is that there is no hidden job market, let alone a secret list of jobs. No matter how much we might wish it to be true, it just is not so.
The Jobs are there…but it’s not the Hidden Job Market.
Have Your Pity Party….then Take Back Your Power
There is a very significant emotional aspect to a job search. Women are no more prone to the emotional issues than men are but we do tend to handle them differently. Women tend to discuss their issues more openly with friends than men do. In the heat of it all, we have to deal with emotions we are feeling. There is the shock and then the dismay that we even have to go through this terrible ordeal. Let it all out. I mean wallow in it. Sob, yell and eat a whole bag of chocolate chips. Just get is out of your system. Good. Once that’s done, pull out your project management book and get started.
Job Search Issues and Hurdles
A roller coaster of emotions….
Let’s be honest. Emotions during a job search are like a roller coaster. Whether you’ve been laid off, fired or are just apprehensive about your job security, you are feeling afraid. After all, if any of those situations exist, they impact your income. And a loss of income can bring terror to all aspects of a women’s life.
And what if you have been fired from a position, as the best of us have or had your company restructured or downsized? These events can bring about feelings of shame. Should we feel shame? Of course not! But these thoughts are real and some women just like you are dealing with them every day as they try to find the next rung on the ladder of their careers.
Resume Tips
The first thing to keep in mind about resumes is that they have only one purpose – to get an interview. Resumes are not intended to be the complete story of your life or even your career. Resumes must be carefully designed to tell the story of your career in a concise manner – one or two pages – and to position you for the job that you want. With that in mind, here are some resume “Do’s and Don’t Do’s.”
(Compiled by Make It Happen For Women Career Analysts and Consultants)
Find Out What Your Marketable Assets are in this Job Market.
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
