Years ago, when LinkedIn was first a thing, my brother-in-law said, “You know, the insidious thing about LinkedIn is that it feels like you’re doing work because you’re clicking and typing and all that, but you’re not actually getting work done.” That is the trap of social media. It feels like we’re being productive as we click away, but most of the time we’re not, actually.
That is also a big trap when it comes to a job search. Scrolling through job openings and submitting your resume online feels like you’re doing something. But it’s not really productive. In fact, it can be counterproductive. Here’s why.
You’ve had a bad day, or bad month, or bad year, so you start scrolling through job listings. You aren’t really looking for a job, but you’re starting to think about a change. So, you go online, and you see some things that catch your eye. You submit your resume here and there. And, no surprise, you don’t hear anything back. No interviews, no offers. And then – this is the insidious part – you start to feel discouraged. After all, you sent your resume out to a dozen places, and no one got back to you. You start to wonder if maybe you’re not capable of finding a new job. Or maybe you’re not meant to. You make up a story about that non-response, and that leaves you feeling worse than when you started. Stuck. Discouraged. Down on yourself.
It’s all so sad – because it’s simply not true. The fact is that applying randomly to a bunch of jobs online doesn’t really work for anyone. It’s not an effective strategy.
So why do people do it?
I think there are a lot of reasons. The most obvious is that it seems easy. You don’t have to put in much effort. It doesn’t seem to take much time. Whereas a “real” job search? That can seem daunting.
The reality is that when you go about your job search in a strategic, thoughtful way, it doesn’t have to take a ton of time. And you get a better return on the time – a much better return – compared to scrolling and submitting.
I’ve created a strategic step-by-step approach that I use with my clients to help them get clear about what they want and find those opportunities through making real, genuine connections with people.
We’re not talking about networking like in the old days where you’d stand around with your glass of Chardonnay and your business cards, and just try to make conversation with strangers. That doesn’t work. It didn’t work then, and it doesn’t work now. And online it’s even worse.
Instead, we’re talking about a strategic approach, where you’re in meaningful conversations with others in your field. These aren’t, “Hi, do you know of any jobs for me.” They’re more interesting – and more useful – both for you, and for the person you’re meeting with. These are the kinds of connections that can have a positive impact on your career whether move to a new job, or stay put. Those kinds of connections are absolutely priceless. And I teach you exactly how to build them, so that it’s a natural part of your working life.
If you’ve found yourself “scrolling and submitting” – and especially if you’ve become discouraged from that approach, it’s time to shift your strategy. Reach out to my team and book an appointment to speak with us today. We’ll talk with you about where you are in your career right now, and where you think you want to go. If we can help you get from here to there, we’ll share what that could look like. And if not, we’ll let you know that too and point you to other resources. Our goal is for you to walk away from that call with some real clarity about your current situation and your next steps, so you can stop feeling stuck and get your career back on track. Book that call here. We look forward to talking with you!
