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| Resource Listing | Search Resources | More Resources in Careers Questions & Answers | More Resources by By Perri Capell |
After Two Years of Searching, A Job Hunter Asks What's Wrong |
| by By Perri Capell - 19/08/2007 |
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| "Question: I spent 18 years at a Big Four firm, followed by four years at a financial organization. I have been job hunting since my last company moved in 2005. I'm willing to start at a lower level, but employers can't seem to figure out what I am or....." |
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Question: I spent 18 years at a Big Four firm, followed by four years at a financial organization. I have been job hunting since my last company moved in 2005. I'm willing to start at a lower level, but employers can't seem to figure out what I am or they lose interest because I'm unemployed. What should I do?
Answer: After two years of job hunting, you're probably feeling discouraged and hopeless. It may be time to stop looking and review your approach, says Deb Dib, a Medford, N.Y.-based executive coach. It sounds like employers don't know where you fit because you're unclear yourself. "Throw out all your preconceived notions," Ms. Dib says. "You need to do some homework."
Your job-search goal and why you're uniquely qualified for it should practically jump off the main page of your resume. "If you can't clearly articulate what you do, others won't take the time to figure it out," says Becky Gates, vice president and general manager of OCM/Lee Hecht Harrison, an outplacement firm in Boise, Idaho. "Recruiters or hiring managers will put your resume on the bottom of the pile and focus on the ones they understand."
Identify what you accomplished for past employers in each role. Did you increase revenues, cut costs, make others more efficient, or improve quality? For each job, write down the problems you solved and how. What were your victories? What would others say you did well?
Your answers should lead to a brief phrase that says who you are professionally and why a company would invest in you. Make sure it matches current needs in the job market. "This process is like dumping everything into a funnel and seeing the answer that comes out," says Ms. Dib. "That's the clarity you're missing."
Next, rewrite your resume. After reviewing the one you sent me, I didn't know what job you're seeking or what you're qualified to do -- and neither did Ms. Dib or Ms. Gates. Replace the background statement at the top with the description of what you do and why you're valuable. Follow it with three to five bulleted accomplishments, stated in terms of money earned or saved for an employer whenever possible.
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| Contact Email: careersqa@wsj.com |
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| More Details: http://www.careerjournal.com/columnists/qanda/strategies/20070816-qandastrategies.html?cjpos=home_whatsnew_major |
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