Is Job Hunting About Quality or Quantity?

                Looking for a job, regardless of whether one is employed or unemployed, is not easy. The question that I wrestle with as an unemployed job seeker is the following: is the number of jobs that I apply for or applying for a job that fits my professional past and hopeful professional future more important?

                Someone arguing for quantity would state that the more jobs one applies for, the greater chance there is of being contacted for an interview. If Jane Doe is looking for a job and she applies to ten jobs over the course of an average day, she may receive an email or a phone call for about 1/3 of those jobs (which is utterly frustrating, but that is another topic for another time). The numbers are not ideal, but the more the jobs that she applies for, the greater chance that Jane has for being called for an interview.

                Someone else arguing for quality would state that it is a waste of time to apply for a large number of jobs. A job seeker’s precious job-hunting time is better spent on the quality of the jobs, making sure that they are a good fit for the position. However, there is something to be said for taking a chance and applying for a job in which an applicant might have some, but not all of the qualities and/or experience that the employer is requesting. It might be just enough to secure an interview and have the opportunity to sell yourself as the right candidate for the position.

                The question is, which matters more: quantity or quality?  My experience says both quantity and quality are equally important in the hunt for a new job. The more applications that a job seeker sends out, the more employers are likely to review their resume and possibly consider them as a viable candidate. However, it is also as important to apply for a job that the candidate can present themselves as a good fit.    

Readers, what do you think? Which is more important: quantity or quality when it comes to the job-hunting process?

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The Door is Starting to Open Slowly (I Hope)

This morning, I woke up with the knowledge that a door was closing.

Due to restructuring, the day job that I have held for the last few years is being cut. To say that walking into the office today felt awkward is an understatement. I left the office knowing that this chapter in my professional life was closing. It has not been an easy chapter, but I look back and I know that I am a better person for going through it.

The door to the next chapter of my professional life looks like it will be opening sooner rather than later. I wish I could say that the door is opening sooner, but that is to be seen.

I can only hope, pray and keep sending out resumes. The door to my next job has to open somewhere.

 

Dear Employers

Dear employers

I know you have a job to fill. I may, depending on the specific job, decide to apply.  While I recognize that the process is not easy or quick, I would like to provide some suggestions to improve it for the both of us.

1. Please be honest about the job. If the job is a sales oriented job, please do not advertise it as customer service. If the job is physically located outside of New York City, please do not state that it is located in New York City. It is a waste of my time and yours when I have applied and then have to cut the interview process short because of the actual location of the job.
2. Please provide details about the job. I saw an ad last week where it extolled the virtues of the company. However, the ad stated nothing about the specific responsibilities of the job, what past experience was needed or the skill set required to successfully accomplish the job. I doubt that I was the only potential applicant who passed on applying.
3. But at the same time, please try to avoid going too specific about the past experience or skill set required. I understand that you need to fill the position and there are certain requirements to be successful in the position. However, having too many requirements may scare off some applicants who have some, but not everything listed on the ad. And you never know, the person who succeeds in the job may not have everything you need to succeed in the job,  but they can still learn.
4. Keep the application process simple. I understand the reason for taleo and other HR websites of that nature. It is easier for you, but it is not easier for the applicant.  It is frustrating when I have uploaded my resume and then I have re-type it from scratch or correct the information that was transferred incorrectly from my resume.
5. Be open to employees that are above entry level. There is nothing wrong with being an entry level employee, we were all entry level at some point. The new college graduates who fits into the entry level status deserves a decent job like the rest of us. But what about the rest of us who are not entry level, but are having trouble finding long term work because almost every job ad they see is entry level only? There is something to be said for paying your dues and earning both the status and income that comes with being a non entry level employee.
6. Tell me something about the company in the ad. I say this for three reasons:
   1. Identity theft is rampant these days.  If there is no information about the company on the ad, how am I to know that you, the employer, are legitimate and actually hiring as a pose to being a front for stealing my identity? The last thing I want or need as a job seeker is my identity stolen.
   2. I understand that you may not want to be contacted by applicants unless you have contacted them first to setup an interview. However, knowing what product or service you provide is one of several pieces of information that I look for when applying for the job.
   3. Several months ago, I applied for a job and had a phone interview with the company. I did not move forward with the interview process  for reasons that will not be disclosed here. That same company re-posted the ad last week and I applied again. Suffice to say that had they stated at least the company name on the ad, I would have not re-applied for the same position.

In conclusion employers, I only ask that you consider my suggestions, for the both of us. It will make my life easier, your life easier and it may help to fill the position.

Sincerely

A job hunter