Common Job Search Strategy that Kills Opportunities

One of the most common and popular job search strategies is also one of least effective today. That deadly strategy: Focusing most job search time and effort on applying for jobs without regard to fit for the opportunity.

The process of searching through job postings and applying for jobs feels productive. When you are doing it form the comfort of your home, maybe using your smart phone as you sit on your couch, it feels very comfortable, too.

But, when you aren't careful of the jobs you apply for, you may actually do your job search much harm.

Playing the Lottery to Win a Job
Clicking on the "Apply" button for a job can feel good -- this time the effort will pay off! This time you will win. This time you will get a response inviting you to an interview.

Much like buying a lottery ticket, clicking the apply button for a job usually feels good.

And, since applying for a job won't hurt you, what does it matter? Right?

WRONG! Those applications can hurt you.

Why the Job Application Lottery Approach Is a Waste of Time
Job seekers complain to me that they've submitted hundreds (sometimes thousands) of applications, but not gotten any responses. While submitting resumes and applications feels like the "right way" to find a job, it's not actually productive.

Research, including a recent study by author and recruiting guru Lou Adler, showed that fewer than 15% of jobs are filled via job postings. The vast majority of jobs are filled by networking!

Unfortunately, mindlessly applying for jobs does hurt you! When you submit too often for jobs you aren't qualified for, you are classified as a "resume spammer." That's a big penalty to pay.

Employers Ignore and Block "Resume Spammers"
The worst result of the apply-apply-apply approach is that applicants who continuously and often apply for jobs without being qualified end up in the penalty box.

Think about it -- how do you respond to irrelevant and junk email messages in your inbox? You tell your email software to ignore messages from those sources as "junk" or "spam."

Similarly, when you carelessly and repeatedly hit the "Apply" button on a job board or send your resume in response to every job posting you see, particularly when you are not qualified for the job, your applications are viewed as spam. As a result, the people and automated systems (like job boards and employer applicant tracking systems) will flag you as a "resume spammer."

When you are identified as a spammer, ALL of your applications go into the "junk application" folder. You will be ignored -- even when you are qualified for the job.

How to Recover From Your Resume Spammer Classification
If you have been carelessly and ceaselessly applying for all kinds of jobs, you are probably in the resume spammer penalty box. You can get out, but it takes effort.

1. Change the email address you use for your job search and applications
Since many people share the same or similar names, your email address is most likely the unique identifier used to dump your application in the spammer folder. So, use a different email address. like Gmail address, and then pay close attention to that email account.

When replying to an employer who has responded to your application, use the new email address. Don't revert to the old one, or your response could be dumped into the spam folder again.

2. Change your attitude and approach. NO MORE RESUME SPAMMING!
When you do apply for a job, connect the dots for employers in your applications by clearly aligning your experience, skills, and accomplishments with the requirements of the job you are applying for.

Measure your job search activities and progress by counting networking contacts during a week or interview invitations. Stop measuring your job search by counting applications.

Bottom Line
When I ask people new in their jobs how they got the job, often they tell me, "My former boss called me," or "A guy I used to work with contacted me," and other personal referrals. You can be that person, too! LinkedIn, Facebook, Google/Bing, and the Internet make it easy to reconnect with people you worked with and make it easier to become a "known quantity" to a wide circle of people. Take the time to expand your network, and you can beat the numbers game, too.