I'm Louise Fletcher. As President of 
Is there Anybody Alive Out There?
That's the opening line of Bruce Springsteen's last single, but judging from my in-box, it's also the cry from many job seekers wondering why they get so few responses to their job applications. One reader writes:
I've been marketing myself since Nov07 to find a job, unfortunately without success until today. My feeling is that companies are saturated from receiving emails with Personal Records from anybody in the world who is looking for a job, and they just delete them, many times without reading them. What a shame!You write that there are many organizations who need what I have to offer. Please be so kind and tell us which organizations! I've submitted at least 130 times (and probably more) my CV since Nov07. Only 7 companies have answered, but no job possibilities until now. Of course we all have a set of skills, experiences and accomplishments, which are apparently not valued.Can you please help me and other subscribers to your blog with an answer? I'm sure there are many unemployed people in a similar situation.
Well, firstly - 7 responses out of 130 applications is just over a 5% response rate. Many surveys show that companies fill anywhere from 5-10% of their jobs from Internet job postings, although this number increases when the company's own job board is also included.
So that does suggest that this job seeker is experiencing a lower than average response rate to his resume submissions - the most likely problem is that his resume is not effectively communicating his value.
But even after improving his resume, the sad fact is that a strategy of simply applying to posted positions is unlikely to result in a huge improvement.
Job search success requires a much more proactive approach.
Consider this, from an annual survey of American recruiting practices:
Which means two things:
1) Use your network - make sure that everyone you know is aware of your job search, so that they can be in a position to refer you should they hear of something. Don't restrict your networking only to close friends and family. Include everyone - your doctor, your dentist, the guy in the local Starbucks who you talk to every morning - the more people who know you need a job, the better your chances of a referral.
2) Use the Internet to make contact with people who work at your target companies. LinkedIn is the perfect tool for this and if you don't already have a profile,you need to get one now. Members can search the network by company name, and then make contact via the system.
These are only 2 possible strategies - your success is limited only by your creativity - for example, I know people who have secured job offers by writing blogs about their job search. I know others who have networked their way into jobs that were never even advertised just by doing research to identify possible opportunities in advance.
But if your job search strategy consists of applying to advertised positions, you will inevitably be invited to far fewer interviews than you deserve.
For more on job search strategies, download the Career Hub "Insider's Guide" series of free eBooks. You'll find tips and strategies from some of America's leading job search experts and there's no charge and no need to give an email address.
So that does suggest that this job seeker is experiencing a lower than average response rate to his resume submissions - the most likely problem is that his resume is not effectively communicating his value.
But even after improving his resume, the sad fact is that a strategy of simply applying to posted positions is unlikely to result in a huge improvement.
Job search success requires a much more proactive approach.
Consider this, from an annual survey of American recruiting practices:
One in three referrals turns into a hire! Doesn't take a math degree to figure out that you will significantly improve your chances of securing a position if you are referred by an insider.Referrals (employee, alumni, vendor, etc.) make up 28.7% of all external hires and are arguably the number one external source. The efficiency of referrals i.e. “every third referral turns into a hire” is one of the single most important characteristics of US hiring practices…and not leveraged as well as it might be
Which means two things:
1) Use your network - make sure that everyone you know is aware of your job search, so that they can be in a position to refer you should they hear of something. Don't restrict your networking only to close friends and family. Include everyone - your doctor, your dentist, the guy in the local Starbucks who you talk to every morning - the more people who know you need a job, the better your chances of a referral.
2) Use the Internet to make contact with people who work at your target companies. LinkedIn is the perfect tool for this and if you don't already have a profile,you need to get one now. Members can search the network by company name, and then make contact via the system.
These are only 2 possible strategies - your success is limited only by your creativity - for example, I know people who have secured job offers by writing blogs about their job search. I know others who have networked their way into jobs that were never even advertised just by doing research to identify possible opportunities in advance.
But if your job search strategy consists of applying to advertised positions, you will inevitably be invited to far fewer interviews than you deserve.
For more on job search strategies, download the Career Hub "Insider's Guide" series of free eBooks. You'll find tips and strategies from some of America's leading job search experts and there's no charge and no need to give an email address.
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