Are You Getting Bad Advice About Your Job Search?

There is an overwhelming amount of job search advice on the web.  That advice can range from excellent to flat out bad.

Case in point: A recent blog recommended this method for finding a job fast: Go on job boards and locate openings that match your passion. Send your resume to 10-20 employers a day and wait to hear back.   This job search method is probably the worst way to look for a job in today’s market! Here is why:

1. Job boards are an ineffective avenue. Every advertised job generates hundreds of applications. You’re fighting an uphill battle applying without a warm introduction or inside contacts.
2. Measuring progress by number of resumes sent out creates a false sense of productivity. Better to network more and only send out applications to quality job leads.
3. Waiting to hear back puts you in a passive position.

It’s alarming to see this presented as an effective strategy.

When surfing the web looking for job search advice:

• Consider the source. Is the author really an expert or just someone being paid to hammer out articles and gain views?
• Look at the larger picture. Real expert advice is offered in the context of a larger job search strategy and a holistic approach to job search.
• Beware of quick fixes. Job search is a complex process. No single article or blog post can capture every factor involved in finding a job.
• Pick a course. It’s all too easy to waste hours each day looking at advice from various experts. Some of it is even conflicting. Settle on the right number of credible sources, be continually learning and growing. Limit how much time you spend each day searching for more or different advice.
• Apply common sense. For example, in the blog post mentioned above, if finding a job was really as simple as cruising job boards and sending out a dozen resumes a week, wouldn’t everyone be doing it and finding work?
• Look for bias. Job search advice from a job board company is biased toward use of job boards to find a job. Some experts are oriented primarily toward finding work at large companies. (They will put a lot of emphasis on keywords and software screening of resumes.)

At Jobfully, we have a bias too! We believe that you need a strategy for your job search. Finding a job is the process of selling “you”.  Our goal is to help you become a great salesperson for yourself.

Our approach to finding job leads involves working multiple channels including networking (both online and in-person), social media, recruiters and, yes, even job boards sometimes.  We help you find the right balance of time spent on each channel to get the highest return.

We offer advice and best practices for all of this through our daily blog and Twitter feed . You can also learn how we help job seekers reach success with our comprehensive solution that combines job search productivity tools, coaching and community support by visiting our homepage.

No doubt there is plenty of job search advice available on the web. Just be careful what advice you choose to follow!