Job Hunting - The Sound of Crickets

Job Hunting The Sound of CricketsHere’s a story of another subscriber that we’re going to help today on how he should tackle his job search problems.

John turns 65 in December, and he was laid off a few years back when he was 62. He's applied to hundreds of jobs over the last three years, but he never gets a call back.

Now, John has a management/production background of 40+ years in the field of document management, and he specializes in document conversion.

He's tried "dumbing down" his application with an explanation that he's in good health, is physically able, etc. But in his own words:

"The sound of crickets... that's all I hear."

Is John doing something wrong?

No. I wouldn't say he's doing anything "wrong".

However, there's a better way to get your dream job -- or for that matter, just any job if you're like John and you're looking to supplement your retirement income -- and I'm going to outline the process in this email.

This process -- it's a three-step formula -- is something I've developed and refined through more than a decade of putting it to test in the real world and helping tens of thousands of job seekers get hired. It gets results.

Let's take a look at what John has been doing.

(Maybe you've tried the same things, and it isn't working for you either.)

First, he's applied to, literally, hundreds of jobs. Now, I know this is what they say you're "supposed" to do, but in the real world it doesn't work -- for one simple reason: When you're applying to that many positions, there's no way you can find time (let alone energy) to tailor your resume and cover letter to each specific opportunity.

Also, you're applying to jobs that just won't be a great fit (like John's entry-level applications. What happens is, even though you put a lot of hard work into your application, it often gets ignored or brushed over.

Second, while we're talking about resumes...

I haven't see John's resume, so I don't know for sure, but I wonder if it reads a little bit like this:

"I have a management/production background of 40+ years in document management specializing in document conversion starting with microfilm and then transitioned to document scanning in the last 17 years."

(This is how most people describe what they bring to the table.)

What's wrong with this?

Again, nothing is "wrong" with it. However, my problem with it is, it doesn't do John's depth of experience justice.

He has worked in this field for more than 40 years, and I'd bet my right arm that he has a long list of results and accomplishments he has achieved for the organizations he worked for. This is the kind of stuff recruiters and hiring managers are hungry for.

I know it may seem hard to believe sometimes, but companies do value experience. They're desperately looking for strong job candidates who can come in and begin solving problems, getting results, and contributing value almost immediately. Share your achievements!

Finally, John is looking for jobs in the wrong place.

Here's what I mean by that:

A candidate with his level of experience and expertise shouldn't be applying to jobs through online applications. Besides, most jobs -- especially the best ones -- are NOT advertised, let alone advertised online.

In fact, research shows that 85% of positions are filled using the "hidden job market".

In Dream Job Formula, we teach folks like John (and for that matter, anyone who's sick and tired of applying for jobs and never hearing back) a simple and proven three-step formula for getting their dream job in as little as 30 days.

Here's this process in a nutshell:

Step #1 -- Narrow Your Search:

I've developed a proprietary survey that uncovers your unique profile of motivations, strengths, values, and personality traits -- in order to generate a customized job search plan. It tells you which job opportunities you should focus on, so you can save time and put more energy into each application.

Step #2 -- Build Your Case:

I've reviewed I don't know how many resumes over the years, and consulted with dozens of recruiters and hiring managers. I know what they're looking for, and I know what turns them off. This step is about transforming your resume (and your entire case) into what they desperately want to see.

Step #3 -- Get Connected:

You're going to stop applying to jobs, at least in the "traditional" way. Instead, we'll show you how to leverage the connections you already have (and create new connections, from scratch) to find job opportunities and apply to them through the "side door" -- in a way that makes you stand out.

(Even when you respond to a posted job, you'll learn techniques that make you stand apart from the competition.)

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Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.