2014 is here and competition for job vacancies is tougher than ever. We all know this fact and yet many of us will continue to plod along implementing the same job-seeking routines that won’t make a difference. Some may get lucky with the traditional ‘parachute’ routines found from internet sites and text books. For the majority who are still unemployed, evaluation of one’s career is something that needs to be explored immediately with great focus- especially with the new Australian Federal Budget around the corner.
At this point in time I am declaring that jobseekers should take control of their career future in 2014 by doing something bold, innovative and untraditional. Really what do you have to lose by trying a different tactic and strategy to get the desired result, which is to get an interview. It’s not about getting the job. It is all about getting interviews…plural!
Let’s get straight to the point- The more interviews you get the better your chances are to get that desired job opportunity. You want to be short-listed. You want to be part of the final two. If you aren’t even getting this far then you really need to take the lead and do something different.
I am proposing three sure-fire ways to “get ahead” and “get noticed” in 2014. They are innovative, yet proven ways to ensure as a jobseeker you are doing everything in your personal control to get noticed:
Number one: Update your name to get noticed. I know this may sound crazy, but the name you have on your résumé is what people will call you. This is also what people will weigh up in regards to whether it is consistent with their company’s values and professional culture. One’s nationality and culture will definitely come into play. Whether people want to admit it having a localised nickname makes a difference. Let’s give you a scenario: You work in a client interfacing role on behalf of a local corporation. The clients’ satisfaction is the number one indicator of a company’s successful branding and a big part of that branding is having people in that brand that represents the wider community. As a client I would prefer to be with an organisation that I can identify with and most critically identifies with who I am. I would prefer to deal with a representative who has a name I can pronounce and identify. This is part of mutual rapport building and so I want to deal with someone I think represents me. Taking this thinking and applying it to the real world of job seeking, it would be easy to suggest that most names would be common and easy to pronounce, but to be honest, it isn’t the case. Names play a critical part in making that first positive impression to get an interview with decision-makers looking at applications.
It is not illegal to put on your résumé “preferred name” or “professional name” – if anything you are making it easier to build rapport without embarrassing the other party if they mispronounce your name. Furthermore, from a customer service perspective having a “localised” name that is easily identifiable and easy to pronounce is paramount to moving ahead in the recruitment process. Most critically your successful local cultural assimilation is a key factor in deciding whether you are a suitable candidate.
A final note for this resolution is to make sure your email address is consistent to the new nickname or preferred name you have chosen. You can’t just use your old email address as there would be an explicit inconsistency in the new name you have taken on. The core reasoning behind this resolution is to be relevant and to be noticed. If updating one’s name to make it more identifiable results in a getting a phone call, then I can assure you it is a strategy worth employing.
Number two: Use social media to drive public profile: Let’s get straight to the point- Facebook is only for private use. Your private life needs to be separate from your professional life. This includes being “social” with work senior colleagues, managers or people that may be considered decision-makers. How you project your image using this medium will ultimately have an effect on your career aspirations. If you don’t believe me then it would be worthwhile for you to Google the countless numbers of professionals who have lost their jobs due to social media indiscretions. If you are intending on using the internet or social media to drive your public profile then you need to open up and pay for a LinkedIn account. If you truly want to create a professional profile that is acceptable in most corporate fields, then LinkedIn is the best way to increase public awareness that you exist and matter.
My positive observations about LinkedIn include: it is a great way to have a ready to send / ready to access résumé for others to view in real-time; it is a great way to build connections with industry contacts, especially recruiters and employers; it is a great way to tap into the “hidden” job market by being connected to organisations and networks that search for industry professionals by reputation; it a great way to build a positive professional image using the endorsements and recommendations tools; and finally, it is a great way to approach, contact and connect with people you need to be “linked in” with. The opportunities are endless when using LinkedIn. Once upon a time, having an email address on a résumé was optional, now it is necessary. In my professional opinion, I would say the same thing about having a LinkedIn profile on a résumé- it needs to be there to tell people you are a professional whose existence can be authenticated and validated.
A final note for this resolution is to put a professional photo of yourself online. Being “real” means you are being honest and transparent about yourself- this includes a professional photo that people can see and identify with when they view your history, background and credentials. The core reasoning behind this resolution is to show people you mean business and that you have nothing to hide. At the same time, I believe it to be very professional and good manners to be upfront with others when dealing with business matters. LinkedIn is a public profile. You cannot lie on it as it can be viewed and accessed by everyone. This means recruiters and employers know you are being genuine.
Number three: Professional licensing will be your greatest point of difference in 2014: Once upon a time, people needed just experience to get ahead, then the world continued to evolve and qualifications became the dominant factor in distinguishing which candidates were superior- Certificate, Diploma, Bachelor and Master level qualifications became the “norm” in the last few years. However, we have reached the peak of this period in that many professionals now have similar qualifications. This means there really is no point of explicit difference once again between candidates.
In 2012, I conducted research that allowed me to conclude that this trend would eventually occur and that having a Master’s degree, for example, was no longer logical or necessary. Whilst it is critical in certain technical fields, in the majority of industries a Master’s degree is perceived as a luxury and not really a compulsory point of difference for employment eligibility.
In preparing for this trend, I started to consult with candidates and got them to think about alternatives to post graduate qualifications. Some chose to still continue to do a Master’s as they felt it was prestigious to have, whereas others took my advice and successfully undertook alternatives. As of today, of the 214 that decided to do a Master’s Degree, 52% of them continue to be unemployed in their preferred field. Of the 97 that decided to take on professional licensing courses instead, 100% of them are employed.
So what do I mean by professional licensing? I believe employers have particular preferences in what candidates they ultimately choose- obviously having the right specific and relevant experience is the number one driver; secondly, having “transferable” skills and experience from a similar industry would be the next best option; and finally having candidates with the right licences or tickets to undertake the job despite a lack of experience or skills would still represent a great final alternative option to consider.
At the same time, what is interesting to observe in all industries today is the growing focus on workplace safety, compliance and regulations. Being responsible for budgetary requirements or methodologies or standards for example is no longer just about having a qualification, but also about having the licence or ticket to prove you are “worthy” or “certified” to perform that role. Quality Assurance and Quality Control is at stake- executive boards and shareholders want to know that whoever is responsible to perform a task is really up to the task; furthermore the general public want to know that a person is licensed to deal with certain matters in the community’s or shareholders’ interests.
So what are typical licences that enhance a jobseeker’s point of difference?- Let’s start with the basics:
- Everyone should pay for a Police Check (having one speeds up the recruitment process as sometimes it can take up to 4 weeks to validate. Having one on hand and up to date allows decision-makers to think you understand the protocols, standards, urgency and responsibilities of the role
- Accounting / finance professionals should invest in computer short courses. Having a certificate that you’ve done MS Excel, or some sort of accounting software package validates you as someone who is certified to perform certain financial administrative tasks despite a lack of experience.
- Engineers should look into professional licences in their field. For example having a Quality Assurance, Process (Solidworks, CAD) or Methodology (Lean, ISO, GMP, HACCP) course allows companies to think that you appreciate the regulatory requirements that they need to observe- for example local laws, project management methods or machinery operation licences are viewed favourably by an industry that prides itself on safety, efficiency and precision.
- IT professionals should also invest in anything that requires licensing in a particular language, system, process or methodology. In particular, methodology has become the latest fashion whereby candidates I have assisted have got jobs purely on being licensed in Microsoft, SharePoint, Agile, 6 Sigma, Prince 2 or ITIL. It has been gratifying to see professionals with no local experience get jobs on the back of these QA/QC-focused licences.
To summarise, it would be in vain to continue to persist with tried and tired job seeking regimes in 2014. If you really want to stand out you need to be prepared to try something different. You have nothing to lose from trying one, some or all of these proposed resolutions. If anything I know you will get a phone call or email. Therefore, everything starts off with some kind of correspondence, which then allows you to move on to the next stage- being ready for an interview (that is another story I will write about. For for now let’s make it your aim to be in control as your aspirations do and should matter enough to want to stand out in 2014).
