I had a family member, 60+ years old, looking for a new job earlier this year. She was very frustrated because she was not getting any interviews, but she kept at it and ultimately found a fantastic job.
It is a frustrating and scary process but the good news is, it only takes one yes so you have to push through the noes and the silence. And you need to use every tactic you can to increase your odds of landing those interviews.
Here are some tips to help clear the path to more face-to-face meetings.
KNOW WHO IS HIRING.
Have your finger on the pulse of job opportunities in your field, in your area.
Talk to your network, often: in person, on the phone, and via social media.
Pay attention to the news, especially papers like your local business paper, that will showcase growing companies and projects in your area.
Volunteer and speak with leaders and members of trade associations in your field.
Use alerts effectively on job hunting sites to alert you of new posting in your field or with your target companies.
Reach out to hiring managers of target companies even if there are no current postings for your skills.
KNOW WHO LIKELY NEEDS YOUR SKILLS.
Practice selling your personal value proposition.
Research what types of companies and functions could benefit from your skills.
Understand who the hiring managers for your skills would be.
Consider offering your services on a project or consulting basis.
Get your network working more effectively for you by ensuring that they understand what would be a great fit for you and can communicate your value enough to land you a conversation.
ACE THE PRE-SCREENING CALL.
There's almost always a call to filter out candidates before they waste a hiring manager's time
Make sure you can be heard by testing your phone connection and headset ahead of time.
Be prepared for a Skype call by practicing your set up and how you come across, where to look, what to wear...
Be friendly, energetic, and ask questions about the company and high level on the role. This is not the hiring manager so be sure to cover the key areas or capabilities that you know the position requires.
Establish a good, professional rapport with hiring managers and recruiters. They can become your advocate and liaison throughout the hiring process.
MASTER LINKEDIN.
Invest the time to make LinkedIn work for you.
Consider upgrading your account to unlock additional features, even if just for a short while.
Practice reaching out to hiring managers and recruiters via InMail.
Make sure your resume can be found, focusing on formatting and keywords.
Be active and visible by adding value to your network and sharing your expertise. Write some articles, how-to articles, are well-read.
Share, like, and comment on relevant, professional posts.
Join and be active in LinkedIn groups to open doors and conversations with those in your role or industry.
In fact, ban word interview and get better at having great conversations.
09/16/2019
Emmy Weber, Co-founder, Women With Dynamic Purpose