Howard Spiegel ⋅ Houston, TX HR ON CALL ⋅ 20 years experience

Michael

First, thank you for your service. As the responders below stated, Networking will be your most effective route. In order for this methodology to be effective however, you need a networking strategy/plan. Here are some of the steps/advice that I recommend:

1. You are a product. You are marketing a product. Does the product have a market? You need to offer something that is in demand.
2. Steps to take: a) Create the list of who you will talk to, b) have a "story". That is, how do you effectively answer the question "tell me about yourself".
3. Have a specific job title that you are networking towards. Folks will be hard pressed to be able to help you if you do not tell them specifically what you want.
4. Have a list of specific companies that you want to work for (that hire jobs with your specific job titles).
5. Be prepared to do networking on the phone. Have a script and have specific information requesting questions that you will ask.
6. The tools you need to have-Business cards, thank you letters, etc.
7. When you ask folks to meet with you to network, make sure you tell them that you do not have any expectation that they have a job or know of a job for you. You are only going to ask them for information/pick their brain.
8. Do not bring a resume to a networking meeting. It would contradict with item 7. You can always send it to them later.
9. Do not use an approach that says, "I have all these skills and potential how can you (an employer) use me. This will not work. It is the responsibility of the job seeker to determine what they are offering for sale and offering it to potential buyers of that skill set. That is your responsibility not the buyers. Many people have a lot of difficulty understanding this concept and as result they are not target marketing their skills. All your materials must be focused, especially your resume and cover letters. When they aren't, the reader gets confused as to what you are looking for/selling. Buyers have specific needs and you must tailor your product to the need.

These are some of the basics for an effective job networking search. If you want more info, feel free to contact me directly at hedy4321@hotmail.com.

Good luck with your job search.

Howard

Richard Cochran ⋅ Boynton Beach, FL U.S. Navy, Petty Officer First Class ⋅ 14 years served

Chief,
It's not personal in this case. Your resume doesn't have the proper number of keywords the computer filter is searching for. Do yourself a favor and add an extra page to your current resume, add all the 'keywords' you can think of or that you find in the job listings you're applying for, then change the font color to white for that page. The computer will 'see' the keywords allowing a human to look at it. The human will see your resume with an extra blank page. This has worked for many that I know of.
Regards,
Richard Cochran USN Ret. (ET1 (SW))

Lyn Rundell ⋅ San Francisco, CA HERO Marketing ⋅ 27 years experience

Hi Michael,

I'm in the position to often be hiring. I'll tell you some of the things that cause candidates to be quickly disqualified at our shop:

- We always ask for a cover letter, and almost always ask for specific detail in the cover letter. Something that allows us to see the applicant's personality. Easily, 50 to 60% of the folks who apply do not include a cover letter. We don't even open the resume. They are immediately thrown out, as it feels like an indication they're not good at following directions.

- Anyone can write a decent resume, but the cover letter is the opportunity to really sell yourself and allow the hiring for him to see your personality. Someone earlier in the comments mention that your cover letter should not be generic. This is certainly true. Not only should be specific to the industry in which you're applying but further it should be specific to the company and position for which are applying. Do some research, learn about the firm. Then, you can write a letter that explains not only why you're good for the job, but also why you're good for the company. And let the hiring firm see your personality! It doesn't have to be a formal, stiff letter, unless the firm is a formal, stiff company. My firm's policy is to hire for culture as much as we hire for experience, so the cover letter is the only place for an applicant to really let theie enthusiasm shine through. Use it to your best advantage!

- I believe someone earlier mentioned your resume should be focused on a few key things, rather than trying to cover your entire career. I agree completely, and much prefer prefer easier to read resumes that quickly recap the applivant's experience. You just need to peak the interest of the person reviewing it, so you can get an interview. Then, you can explain the details.

Also, many larger firms use software that looks for keywords (usually different for each job) on resumes, as a prescreen. It then sorts them into 'interview' or 'not' categories based on these keywords, or lack of them. If you're applying to larger firms, you might want to consider getting some professional help to write a resume that would better pass one of the software programs.

- Finally, networking is very important. Nothing beats having somebody within the company help your resume rise to the top. Even though unemployment is dropping, we often still get close to 100 resumes for each position. If somebody on my staff or someone I know reaches out to me to say "you should check this guy out" I am always going to do so. And it may have been somebody I wouldn't have looked at otherwise.

I hope this helps! I know how frustrating it is to feel like "I am perfect for this job" and then not even get a call. Please let me know if there's anything further I can help you with.

David Jackson ⋅ Midland, MI U.S. Army, Specialist ⋅ 3 years served

Michael,
If you're still not getting as many interviews as you would like, you need to look at your resume, because the one and only function that a resume has is to get you an interview, and if that's not happening then you need to make some changes to your resume.

Lynette Wright ⋅ Berkeley Heights, NJ AIG ⋅ 10 years experience

I found when I was looking for new employment i had to think outside the box. I would stay up late and submit my resume as soon as the job was posted, which I felt help, since interviewers look at the first 10 to 20 resume that come in. So being in that first go round I started receiving more calls. Also added key words is a good idea, since computer software now picks up particular words in and count them. I wish you luck and thank you for your service.

Tim Keefe ⋅ Washington, DC U.S. Army, Specialist ⋅ 6 years served

Remember that the current job market out there is defined by a surfeit of qualified labor, so the competition is fiercer because this is an employer's market, not a job-seeker's. This is made worse by the fact that HR people are overwhelmed by the number of applicants out there, and policies and regulations that are to reduce their risk of lawsuits due to discrimination or for some other reason. It makes for a chilly hiring climate.

With the policies and regulations, along with ATS, think of it as a very narrow funnel. This is just to get noticed, and this is the case with larger companies that might tend to be less dynamic because their models are somewhat outdated. If you want to go to these companies, then expect to deal with a lot of headache and time spent trying to get noticed. Think if you tried to apply at Google, Twitter, or Facebook. Since these are the "cool" companies at the moment, thousands upon thousands of people are trying to get in there. Consequently, all three of them can afford their pick of the litter because they can.

You could go this route.

Or, you could try to focus more on start-ups or smaller companies with more dynamism and less need to screen many applicants. The trick with them is to find one that is growing and not struggling to find people because their work climate is bad or they won't pay the market rate. In smaller companies, you'd have a greater likelihood of making the kind of networking contacts you want to set yourself up for your next position. Networking, I've found, is useless when someone in a larger company, though he or she takes a liking to you, will inevitably send you to HR because they have no ultimate say in the hiring process, and they don't want to run afoul of the policies in place.

Lastly, the best thing to do in the meantime is to work your LinkedIn and make substantial contributions to get yourself noticed. Use that in conjunction with your own website. Think like a business and get people to come to you. When they come to you, you can then negotiate services and how much they're willing to pay. You can make it a "win-win." When you go to a larger company, it's a "win-lose" because you're in the one-down position and have to take on more of the risk to get something.

STEVE SWENERTON ⋅ Boulder, CO SWENERTON CONSULTING, INC ⋅ 43 years experience

HI Michael,

Your intro above is not very specific in terms of the field you seek, the type of position you want to win, or the approaches you have used other than tweaking your resume. The comments above are outstanding, but I would put particular emphasis on your cover letter, tailoring it to the specific job you are seeking. You also need to do significant work investigating the position and company you are wanting to work for and have the results reflected in the letter. Those who do the reviews of resumes that are received look for distinguishing differences that make one standout from another. If you have significant accomplishments, even if not associated with the CG, then relate them. This is a time for you to really sell yourself!

Bryan Pigott ⋅ Chicago, IL IBM ⋅ 15 years experience

Michael -

Thank you for your service! Lots of good advice in here...my career is in HR consulting and have worked with many ATS systems. They are absolutely key-word dependent, as well as questionnaire dependent so answer those carefully (a wrong answer will knock you out of consideration). One thing you may want to evaluate is ensuring that you are applying at the appropriate LEVEL for the position...shooting too high, or aiming too low, will result in less "fit". Personally, I maintain multiple versions of my resume and adjust the descriptions of my experience to match the key-words of the job I am targeting. Best of luck!

Stefan Beyer ⋅ Kirkland, WA Wipro Ltd ⋅ 12 years experience

Depending on your field, you might be able to find work through a staffing agency. If they're available, I recommend going through multiple of them and sticking with the recruiters who are working as hard at getting a job as you are.

Byron Moore ⋅ Tomball, TX Acute Care Hospital - Houston, Texas ⋅ 10 years experience

You have some great advice on here. The one thing I would add (as a Human Resources professional who helps facilitate the hiring process) is, those reviewing resumes are often overwhelmed. Frequently reviewing resumes is one of many tasks that an HR person has. So, unfortunately, resumes are often not given as much attention as they should receive.

The result is, every resume is not reviewed and ranked to find the best candidate...instead it can be the most recent couple who applied, or to a previous posters point, whoever knows someone on staff that can tell the HR person "Can you take a look at John Doe's resume?".

My suggestion would be, if you find a position that you think you're perfect for, definitely fill out the application. But then, call the company. Call the HR department and ask to speak to the HR Director. Introduce yourself. Don't take up a ton of their time (unless they're the one extending the conversation), but tell them that you saw the application, and have applied, and that you would love to speak with them more if they find your experience acceptable. Let them know that you are available at any time to speak with them, but again, no high pressure tactics. This will show them that you have initiative (you didn't just apply online, you followed up), they'll hear how professional you are, they'll see that you are smart in how you approach getting the job, and it also gets your name to the top of the pile.

If the HR department shuts you down, call the main switchboard and ask to speak to the department. They may forward you, and you can speak to the department manager. Same thing...introduce yourself, tell them you've applied online, keep it short and respectful, offer to come in anytime to meet with them.

This can be extremely effective, as long as the candidate is respectful. I have never once begrudged an application calling to introduce themselves and let me know they are willing to come in. Oftentimes I'll agree to meet with them just because there's no pressure on my part...they are just coming by to talk. I didn't contact them for an "official" interview.

Lastly, if I have a veteran contact me regarding a job, I will bring them in to talk to them, even if at first glance their resume doesn't "wow" me. Most often their leadership skills and professionalism can make up for a lot of experience they may not have, but can get.

Thank you for your service. Please contact me (byron.moore@gmail.com) if I can help you in any way.

Byron Moore

Wesley Calhoun ⋅ New York, NY The Bachrach Group ⋅ 5 years experience

Hello, Michael. Once again, thank you for your service. The key to securing more interviews lies in your approach.

Are you targeting the job boards such as Monster and CareerBuilder? Are you updating your LinkedIn profile and adding connections?

It is crucial to cater your resume to each and every job you apply to, using industry-appropriate terminology and featuring the necessary skills and applications needed for said role.

The resume is now an actionable electronic document which recruiters and hiring managers can scour, and from which job board search engines are able to determine qualified candidates. List every skill you have. That point cannot be stressed enough.

If you prefer to include a summary section, limit it to 1-2 longish sentences that sum up who you are and what you want. That's it.

Lastly, accomplishments are just as important as responsibilities. You have to communicate whether you're good at what you do or did or want to do.

These are the steps a personal recruiter would walk you through during an initial interview. I hope they were helpful!

David Icenhower ⋅ Phoenix, AZ Reinhardt University ⋅ 40 years experience

Michael,

Keep building that network on LinkedIn. Noticed that you have a Premium membership with them, which is fantastic. It gives you the ability to send InMail's to potential connections and employers without penalty of IDK (I don't know response).

Semper Paratus!

James (Jim) Wilson ⋅ Dayton, OH Advanced Data Resources, Inc. ⋅ 40 years experience

Mike, I am not a strong believer in using the internet to find career opportunities. The most effective way to find career opportunities is personal networking, face-to-face introductions. Find your local Chambers of Commerce, look for evening meetings where local companies talk about matters of mutual interest including meeting candidates for employment. Look for "job fairs." Finally, take your resume and letters of introduction, go out to industrial and commerce centers, walk into front doors and introduce yourself (having researched who are key decision makers) and ask for appointments. In short, use your positive personality together with your credentials to introduce yourself (and sell yourself) to prospective employers. Best regards, Jim Wilson.

Michael Morse ⋅ Chandler, AZ Califone Int. ⋅ 12 years experience

Michael, thanks for serving! I'd suggest joining linked in and getting as many contacts as possible. I'm 55 and only once in my life has an ad or placement company been useful. All my other work has come from knowing someone and having them identify a need you can fill
Mike

Mary Stern ⋅ Santa Barbara, CA Baxter Healthcare ⋅ 30 years experience

One approach would be to focus first on the type of industry that interests you - healthcare, aerospace, hospitality, energy, transportation - you get the idea. Then to start narrowing down the companies in that industry. The more targeted you can be in your job search, the easier it is to tailor your resume for that company. If the company is located in or near the city where you live, deliver a copy of your resume to the hiring manager. How do you find the hiring manager? Let's say you're interested in procurement. That is usually a department in Supply Chain. There might be a VP - supply chain listed on the web site. Call and ask for that person. You'll probably get an assistant. Ask who you should talk to about the current opening. Yes - it takes a lot more time that just hitting the send button. Your chances of an interview will increase when you connect with the right person.

Finding the right recruiter who specializes in the types of jobs that interest you is important. Many recruiters are very focused and only work with specific jobs. Think of them as 100% commissioned sales reps. They are only interested in you if you are within the scope of the jobs that they are recruiting for.

I agree with the comments about having a current LinkedIn profile. Understand how it works and how it can work for you. Recruiters, search firms and human resource professionals use LinkedIn to source candidates. Help them find you by having a great profile and endorsements.

Christopher Ahlberg ⋅ Holtsville, NY Recorded Future, Inc. ⋅ 15 years experience

I like the earlier point on cover letter. And it can't be a generic "I'm great" letter - but very very pointed that should genuinely show why you bring something unique to the position at hand (to be honest, if you don't, then don't bother).

In terms of CV/resume in itself - rather make 2-3 things stand out than showing a million things. I routinely ignore those with quantity over quality. And make'em stand out with less "junk around". A brief and punchy resume shows confidence. People like confidence.

Jared Frost ⋅ Denver, CO Oakvine Partners / Keller Williams ⋅ 9 years experience

Michael,

I would like to highlight Jennifer's advice re: networking. In addition to getting ideas for local and publicized events (my experience is that they are always full of people you are competing against) you should first organize your existing network and then get creative.

In order to organize your network, you should make a list of all those colleagues, friends, family members, etc. and try to get up to date professional information on as many of them as possible. If you don't know certain pieces of information like current employers, hometowns, etc. then you can use your job search and network building as good "excuse" to reach out and re-establish your relationship. People will typically be very nice and offer to help if you casually mention that you're trying to build a network to prepare for transitioning into a new career.

Once you've spent some time with that, I would also suggest to get creative. Think about which network contacts might work at the companies that you are targeting or other contacts who might interact with those companies (suppliers, distributors, clients, etc.). There's nothing wrong with reaching out to those contacts and politely asking questions about whether or not your contacts know someone at the company who can potentially open a door for you.

Formalizing your network process will benefit you in two ways: 1) it can only help the odds of you getting the job you want and 2) you will most likely be one step ahead of your peers once you get the job because you'll have a network of people to support your new endeavors. Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions and I wish you the best of luck.

--Jared

Michael Klinkefus ⋅ Oldsmar, FL U.S. Coast Guard, Chief Petty Officer ⋅ 21 years served

Thank you all for your assistance. I really appreciate it. I am going to do my best in using the advice you have given me.

Jennifer, I have been networking I could focus more resources in that direction I feel. I have as of late been out and engaging more. I am using LinkedIn and feel my profile displays my qualifications and intentions. As far as resumes I have built a basic one that I hand out for general consumption (networking). I have built others for each individual job that I have applied for. I have received good feedback as far has how it is written. I am wondering if Brad has hit on something as far a density. You are a 100% correct as far as number of jobs and positions I have experience doing I am fearful that if I don't include something I will be passed over.

I think the disconnect in communication may be something like this. "I am offering all of this experience at a discount price." What hiring managers are reading is " He has all of this experience we can't pay him what he will want".

I will persevere that is one thing I have developed over the years. I know what it is like to pull through tough situations. This is no different. Thank you for your advice I am taking it all for action.

Thank you,

Mike

Blake Burns ⋅ Austin, TX www.Harris.com ⋅ 30 years experience

I'm in agreement with all other responses but I can offer one more that can help you get an interview: create both a resume and a website.

The resume is sent as a PDF that links to your website. The website template is free when you purchase a $12 domain (www.yourname.com) from any of the big website providers like godaddy.con (this is who I used).

This combo helps to summarize your skills in the PDF but then provides detail in the website, and the website can become more of a true marketing tool to help separate you from the other candidates.

If you have questions or are unsure at all about how to do this, let me know. Good luck in your job search!

Stanley reddy ⋅ Arlington Heights, IL bcbs of il ⋅ 26 years experience

Job hunting is always humbling. Please persevere. Every job has unique set of requirements, and expectations. Please update your resume to per requirements and apply.

Brad Wilder ⋅ Lexington, KY Intech Contracting ⋅ 8 years experience

If you aren't already, I would try to write a cover letter specific to each job you are applying for. At the very least, do that for the ones you are really interested in and explain why you are a good fit. My experience is that many career military applicants tend to have long, dense resumes. With many veterans changing job/roles every few years it can be hard to digest it all for a hiring manager with no military background. This is especially true if your resume has a lot of military jargon, acronyms, etc. Don't assume that any civilian knows the first thing about even the most basic terminology. Use a cover letter to "translate" and show how your experience fits together. Make it obvious what the transferable skills were. So for example, don't say you led a Seabees platoon of E-1 through E-3 rates, say you led a team of over 40 enlisted construction workers. Make it easy to scan and understand. You get the idea I hope.