There are news articles aplenty about the current challenges in finding a job in today's market, let alone nailing the perfect job.
According to a recent article in Korn Ferry's Insight magazine:
67% of large companies relay that they haven't filled open positions due to lack of talent.
75% of resumes are rejected by applicant tracking systems (ATS).
Can this be accurate?!
Could it be that…
Modern recruiting tools make it hard for recruiters to find great candidates via their AI assisted ATS?
Jobs have changed and candidates aren't matching their transferable and durable skills to role changes?
AI enhanced resumes make it difficult for recruiters to determine if a candidate has the skills and background they claim?
Whatever the issue, recruiters and hiring managers are having trouble identifying qualified, interested candidates and candidates are having a hard time making connections with recruiters and hiring managers.
Talking with friends and colleagues who are currently in a job search and checking in with my recruiter connections, it seems that there are indeed desirable roles yet to be filled and that great leaders are still in the market for skilled, enthusiastic talent. Finding each other is the hard part.
The Importance of Personal Brand in Your Job Search - "Brand You"
I'm hearing one bit of advice prevail amongst all the noise - it's not new advice - your personal brand is your number one selling tool. We all have a "Brand You." "A brand is short-hand. It offers a promise. Something reliable. Something phat." (lol), as Tom Peters says in Reinventing Work: The Brand You 50.
Brand You is humbly showcasing your track record. It's sharing with potential employers how you will use your expertise to solve their business problems. Oh, and do it with savvy, authentic, unique, but professional videos and so many daily posts. Right. It's a lot, and no wonder we are overwhelmed.
Friends, I don't have a one-stop solution for you, but I did find resources that may be helpful.
5 Career Books that Job Seekers Should Grab Today
You know I love a good book... and I know that books can be intimidating, especially when you need a quick answer. The great thing about the books in this list is that you can jump directly to the content you are interested in. Do a quick table of contents review and then home in on the topic you need.
I love Tom Peters. He seemingly retired not too long ago, and good for him - but I really miss his style and candor. Anyways, he wrote a book in 1999 recognizing the shift in the employer-employee relationship, and encouraged us to stop thinking of ourselves as employees. We are each brands, and we should "begin to think and act like an Independent Contractor" (p 5), even should we choose to be on an employer's payroll.
I read this book in 2011 and took many of his principles to heart. Writing this post, I skimmed through highlights and notes written in margins. Still relevant for all the best reasons. Here's an example relevant in today's job search:
#22 & 23 of 50 - You are your Rolodex. He's talking about staying relevant, reaching out to people who inspire you. Make the most of breakfast and lunch to spend time with people who will grow you (p 106). Nurture a community of the diverse-minded (p 111).
I have photo copies of two pages from The Brand You 50 that I pin at my desk. The paper is tattered and the highlights are faded at this point, but they remind me to stay fresh and continue to stretch in order to grow my brand and those on my team.
2 Digital You by William Arruda
This is a great book to spend a weekend with. It's a call to refresh your digital brand with plenty of helpful guidance. I wrote a Book Brief about it, so check that out for a few tidbits. One piece of advice he offers early in the book, "personal branding is not about you. It's about how you deliver value to others" (p 3). Bam. That's exactly what I'm hearing from colleagues and career experts - you must show the value you bring to your next boss ➔ how will you solve their problems?
If you have just a few minutes to review this book, focus on Part 1: Real You (p 19-53) and Chapters 5 & 6 on making the most of your LinkedIn profile (p 75-104).
3 What Color is Your Parachute by Richard N. Bolles
I'll be honest, I read this book to prepare for this post. I was pleasantly surprised at the great info and up-to-date guidance it provides. I remember selling this book when I worked at a book store in high school and college - yes, it's that old. But I am so pleased to find that it's not dated; the latest version was released in 2022. Richard Bolles has been writing about career success since 1970. Yep, I'd say he was an expert and the team who continues to update this work is on-point. You can easily skip around What Color is Your Parachute to find the content you need - from a LinkedIn update to how to determine what you actually want to do. I highly recommend the Flower Exercise (p 97) if you are still wondering where you'd be successful and how you'd like to spend your employed time.
Andy Storch is a friend and he's bold, courageous and awesome. He wrote a book to encourage us all to also be bold, courageous and awesome in our careers. His book is a great resource if you are not feeling fulfilled in your work life. He provides steps and advice to close the gap on where you are today and where you want to be. If you're one who is hesitant about networking, I highly recommend a review of chapters 9 & 10 on How to Build a Network (p 95) and How and Where to Build Your Network (p 105).
5 Betting on You: How to Put Yourself First and (Finally) Take Control of your Career by Laurie Reuttimann
Laurie Reuttimann is another expert on the world of work who I really appreciate. She is candid and forthright. She's worked in HR for large organizations and she's got their/our ticket - employers and employees. She also wants to encourage you to own your career. In Betting on You, Laurie guides us to figure out what brings us joy first and then find the right job. Jobs don't make us happy, and we can't "fix" them; we have to adjust our attitudes and expectations and engage with work appropriately. I love that advice.
If you're on a job search, I think you'll find the chapter on Job Search 101: How to Be a Secret Job Search Spy (p148 on Kindle) helpful, starting from:
the logical advice that work isn't private, so don't conduct your job search at the office...
to how to plan out your time during a job search...
to tips on not appearing desperate when you interview.
Laurie's got your back with the candid advice we all need.
Advice for Career and Job Searches
A job search is hard, hard work. I've been in your shoes multiple times. Treat it like a full-time job. Take joy in meeting new connections and support them with their career endeavors, too. I found that most people were kind and willing to lend a helping hand. They were in the same boat at one time.
Additional job seeking advice from a hiring manager:
✨ 4 Tips for Job Seekers: 2 tips to help you show up well + 2 to boost your search
Two calls-to-action for you today to move your job search forward:
Think about your personal brand. Google yourself. How are you showing up digitally? Make adjustments.
Today, reach out to one new person or a connection you haven't spoken with in a while. Be sincere and genuinely interested. Do the same tomorrow.
You've got this. If there's something I can do to support you, I would love to help. Drop me a line.
Endnotes:
Peters, Tom. Reinventing Work: The Brand You 50. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1999.
Arruda, William. Digital You: Real Personal Branding in the Virtual Age. ASTD DBA the Association for Talent Development (ATD), 2019.
Bolles, Richard. What Color is Your Parachute. Ten Speed Press. 2022.
Storch, Andy. Own Your Career Own Your Life. Andy Storch. 2020.
Reuttimann, Laurie. Betting on You: How to Put Yourself First and (Finally) Take Control of your Career. Henry Holt and Company. 2021.
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