God, I hate the holidays. More importantly, I hate going to parties and telling people that I work in human resources.
“Why don’t you find me a job?”
I purposely don’t walk around with a baseball bat in my hands because those people would be the first to feel my wrath.
I try to tell anyone who will listen that only you can find yourself a job. There are great resources out there. Bloggers. Recruiters. Job boards. Niche websites. But nobody will ever hand you a job just because you know someone. You are not a Romney. And even those Romney kids don’t expect to be handed jobs. They went to the right schools, gained a decent education, and work hard.
Some money is better than no money. A job is better than no job.
My friend, Tim Sackett, can get anyone a job. The catch is that you can’t be picky, and you have to show up and work. Very few people take Tim up on his offer to find them a job, but they should.
Sometimes good advice is wasted on people.
My friend, Nick Corcodilos, is probably the best blogger and headhunter I know. He’s the author of a new book called Fearless Job Hunting! Nick knows you can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. There are truths out there about job hunting, job boards and negotiating offers. Some people can’t handle the truth, but Nick can handle it. He’s my go-to guy on looking for a job.
So this is all to say that great advice is out there, but it will be lost on anyone looking for a hack.
If you’re like me — and you avoid telling people that you work in and around HR — take a different approach, this holiday season, and refer your lazy friends and family members to Nick and Tim.
Those guys know what they are doing, and they’ll gladly set someone straight.
I’m looking for a job now, and you would not even believe (well, wait yes you would) some of the stuff floating around out there. “Disruptive” job searches involving trying to skirt all the rules. You “can’t” find a job without a recruiter. Recruiters who act offended that they aren’t your only source for the job search. (Or the ones who insist you’re asking for too much money.)
I can understand why someone would get frustrated. It’s a lot of work. But it’s just that. It’s work. I’ve tried explaining to people that you’ll get out what you put in, and it may not happen overnight. I get a LOT of blank stares or weird requests for job leads.
By the way, I love both the blogs you listed. NIck’s blog has really made me rethink the way I’m going about this (even if I have to go the more traditional route and keep the unemployment folks happy.)
“Job Seeker/Acquaintance”: You think you can hook me up with a job?
Me: The only positions I have available are high level software engineer positions.
“Job Seeker/Acquaintance”: I’m really good with computers. I’ll send you my resume.
LAWD. HELP. ME.
I thought I knew all the tricks and all the things I needed to do in the job search dance to land a job, but I am reminded every time I do it that some of this is dumb luck and persistence.
My network landed me my last few jobs. I doubt this time will be any different.
(thanks for the links and info!)
“My network landed me my last few jobs” – I should add/clarify, I had to do the heavy lifting, but the knowledge of the network helped clear the path.
Too many job seekers only search online and expect that, like a vending machine, one day a job will magically dispense itself into their lap.
The best job I had I got through the newspaper. The second best I got through Indeed. The worst I got through networking. Craigslist jobs fall in the middle.
I’ve decided I won’t take another job unless the company has at least 3.5 stars on Glassdoor. The company matters more than how you got in.
I think it is too easy to network your way into the wrong spot. I saw this with a software development manager at one company that got in because he knew a VP. He…. was a terrible fit.