Marketing gurus advertise ‘secrets’ to job search their services to put fear in your mind that you might be missing something and failing in your job search efforts. Ask yourself, ‘What do they know that I don’t that I must know to succeed?’ There are no ‘secrets’ to the process of job search. The word ‘secret’ implies something known only to the marketer. These are psychological words used to scare you into buying.

Job-hunting procedures are the same as in the last half century. The only difference – in the 21^st Century, job applications and resume submissions are completed online. You create a marketing tool – your resume. You develop a plan – answering help-wanted ads and uploading resumes online, attending job fairs, or delivering a resume personally. You answer questions – in a telephone or a face-to-face interview with a hiring manager. Company reps compare interviewed applicants and determine which candidate offers the most ‘bang for the buck’ for the salary range budgeted then make an offer. The following steps are the basics for a job search.

Ensure your resume is word-processed into a digital form. Be prepared to deliver your resume electronically from your phone or computer and uploaded to an online recruiting platform. If you are a poor writer, get a professional to write or grammar-check the text. Keeping the resume to two pages or less in the 21^st Century is no longer critical because it is stored online. But – don’t go overboard and write 20 pages, either. The maximum number of pages is four (federal civil service resumes have a new mandate to restrict the length to a maximum of five pages).

Dress for success. Dressing in droopy pants, torn jeans, and tee-shirt to hand-deliver a resume is stupid. That young lady behind the register might be the owner’s daughter, who will relay to Mama that you aren’t fit to shop in the store, much less applying for a job. Or you may pass the hiring manager in the hallway as you walk into the establishment. They will remember someone dressed sharply and ready to do business with their clientele.

Follow up in 2-3 days, and politely ask about any decisions to interview. In many companies, the recruiter may not answer the phone because they are physically overwhelmed with analyzing hundreds of resumes. Don’t take it personally if your calls are not returned. Have your script ready: “I brought in my resume and completed an application on (name the day), and I was wondering when you will start the interviewing process?”  Don’t beg or tell your hard-life story.  

During the interview, think carefully about the question before answering. It is okay to take a few seconds to think, but don’t take too long. Answer in complete sentences and use the ‘Queen’s English.’ Let the interviewer finish their questions. Then present your list of questions about the position, company, and what problems the company wants to solve by hiring you. Ask if they would like samples of your work or a list of references. 

Obtain business cards of everyone you spoke with while interviewing at the company. Immediately after the interview, hand-write brief thank you notes addressed to each individual you encountered – the HR representative, hiring manager, or interviewer – and place the notes in a mailbox that day. 

Wait a week before communicating with the company if they haven’t called you back immediately. Interviews may be spread across several weeks. When you call, politely ask if any decisions have been made. You may leave a voicemail message if you can’t get a real person. Keep the message brief and cheerful, and carefully pronounce your full name and telephone number. 

If you receive the message another candidate was chosen, don’t ask what you did wrong. Companies decline to answer those questions for fear of litigation (e.g., EEOC issues). Don’t waste your and their time. If you do reach a real person, ask them if the company would be open to considering you for another position. This inquiry informs recruiters there are no hard feelings and you are open for further consideration.

Shopping for a new job is tedious. The process for today’s job searches is time-consuming and frustrating. Modern-day job-hunting is dominantly online and digital but prepare for ‘old-fashioned’ knocking on doors and making phone calls to folks you know in your network of friends, family, and business acquaintances.

Dawn Boyer, Ph.D., owner of D. Boyer Consulting – provides resume writing, social media management and training, business development, and human resources consulting. Reach her at Dawn.Boyer@DBoyerConsulting.com or http://dboyerconsulting.com.