The Proof Is In The Pudding

Submitted by Ray Blessman

Job search processes are changing. Or are they?

As a guy looking to make a career change and a parent of 20-somethings, the topic of job search techniques regularly pops up around our dinner table. Well as regularly as is possible given that the kids aren't actually at the dinner table all that often anymore.

As I mentioned in a previous story, Maybe the Kids Can Help, I'm at a stage in my career where I can pause and look around before landing my next gig. I've spent most of my career (so far) working for an employment firm, so I'm very familiar with the idea that finding your next position is all about networking. I'm also aware that fundamental shifts are occuring that may cause "old style" networking activties to play less of a role in future job searches as online networking opportunities become more sophisticated. Some recent trends are outlined in a a Fast Company article called "This is how you'll look for a job in 2019".

With this in mind, I set out see just how far I could get in my own job search by focusing exclusively on online processes. Had I needed to move fast, I'd have integrated traditional networking activities up-front, but I've got the luxury of time, a strong resume, and years of executive-level experience, and I wanted to see how far all that would take me ... online. I figured I might even land a great position in the process.

I set out on my quest to find a great position by completing the following activties:

Step 1: Update resume
Step 2: Submit scores of resumes and applications via online processes
             (i.e. via company web sites, job boards, and email aggregators)
Step 3: Relax and wait for the interview opportunities to roll in (or may just sift through the offers?)

It's been a few months, so this seems like a good time to report on the intial results which are listed as follows:

• Number of phone screens generated:  0
• Number of interviews requested:  0
• Number of job offers received:  0

 
While job search techniques may be shifting, they haven't shifted that much. Not long ago I read that about 85% of jobs are landed via networking. I could imagine that rate may be even higher for an experienced professional looking for an executive-level position (like me). As I look for opportunities to add value by integrating economic data based on market factors into business decisions, it's clearly going to take live conversations for a company to truly understand how these skills will drive business results.

I also know that a lot of these online processes exist to simply process applicants identified via traditional networking processes and to protect companies legally as they hire. Maybe they'll offer more than this someday, but they're not there yet.

So while my online job search experiment was entertaining and informative, I expect to be talking with a lot of friends and former colleagues over the next weeks and months. I know I have a lot to offer and a burning desire to add value in significant ways. At the same time, I'm reminded that not everyone has my network and not everyone may be lucky enough to have a network like yours. That's why I believe each of us has an obligation to seek out people who need a helping hand; a link into a network that could change their lives. (More about this is in the story Key Takeaway.)

In the meantime, I'll continue to advise my kids; it's all about the networking.

Prologue:
Those who want to dig deeper into my story may be interested to know ...

• Almost 40% of the positions I applied for resulted in a negative response (i.e. They told me no).  Friends tell me this is the norm.
• On average it took ~14 days to receive a negative response.
• The standard deviation of the response time was >13 days, meaning approximately half of the responses came within four days and the other half took >30 days.

 Ray Blessman is a father and husband with deep roots in accounting and economics. 

More stories from Ray:

• Lifeguard On Duty - Or Not
• Maybe the Kids Can Help
• Technology Hurdles When Hiring