Online Job Search Aggregators

Searching for jobs online can take hours every week and become so exhausting. To save you some time, two websites out there, Indeed.com and Simplyhired.com create an efficient tool as job search aggregators, spanning across the web to gobble up postings all over, including  all of the major job boards (Monster, Hotjobs, Craigs’s List, Careerbuilder), newspaper classified sites, industry sites and corporate job sites. Just like any search engine, you have to test the waters to either broaden or narrow a search when too many (and less relevant) or too few results are generated.

One caveat: Some corporate site jobs do not make it into the search results of the aggregators such as Indeed and Simplyhired. Why? If they do not contain the correct link listed in the job posting they will not be posted on the aggregators.

Should I meet with a Headhunter?

Should you meet with that headhunter who just contacted you? From past experiences, you have probably dealt with many recruiters who never called you back, had the attention span of a five year old, and ended up losing that email you sent them.

Before you begin, consider the position of a headhunter/recruiter. Their job is to connect you with the employer. The relationships they want to build are with the employers since they are their ultimate clients who write them their paycheck. Hence, they will operate in the best interest of the employer, and not always the candidate seeking employment. Think of them as the listing agent and you are the prospective home purchaser going through them.

So why bother with the hassle of having to submit to the endless forms their agency requires you to fill out with personal and professional information? Why hassle with those mindless interviews they want you to come in for? Why begin to enter into an agreement with an agent who might not have your best interest in mind?

The bottom line is you have to filter them out to save you both some time. They want you as a client and broaden their database of candidates, so bringing you in begins that relationship and creates more of a connection. You should only want to build this relationship if that headhunter comes highly recommended from a colleague or if there is a job they have posted where you feel strongly about, and have not already seen. This is a critical point. If you can locate the same job on a search engine or job aggregator (such as indeed or simplyhired), you should first apply independently without using the recruiter. Why you might ask? Everything else being equal, hiring you will be costlier for the employer to use the recruiter for his/her services. Although none of this will be explicitly stated by the recruiter or employer, using the recruiter may ultimately lead to a lower offer during salary negotiations.

If you do not value building a relationship, but applied for a specific position and the headhunter requires you to meet with his/her agency first, consider asking a few key questions over the phone with the lead recruiter (not the receptionist or junior recruiter who knows very little about the position).  You will find cases where they will be persistent for you to visit their offices. You can be positive and assertive at the same time, by keeping the conversation focused on the position until you gather enough information for you to make a go/no-go decision to meet with them.

Otherwise if you get some random call asking you to come in to find out more about your background and career goals, you may want to put that meeting low on your list of priorities. This headhunter has no immediate position in mind but is hoping to find a fit for you, which will probably waste your time.

How to Spot Dead-End Job Postings

There are plenty of shady or manipulative employers looking for new unsuspecting candidates to sell an awful product or service. You can save yourself some time by weeding out these dead-end jobs right away. Here are some red flags to look for while searching for opportunities in the paper or online:

1) The ad sounds like an infomercial. The language says it all. “Our business has been growing by over 100% every month” or “You can’t afford to miss out on this business opportunity” Those pitches may work well for some stackable Rubbermaid product, but not for your career.

2) The company will be holding an “information session” held in some dingy hotel conference room. Same thing as an infomercial except you get a free pen and waste two hours of your time.

3) The message talks more about being entrepreneurial/being your own boss instead of providing information about the actual position.

4) The salary is commission only. Do not even consider this option unless you are in a financial position to forego a steady salary for a while. While some commission only jobs can work, and are standard in some industries, you really have to do your homework.

If you decide to meet with this company, bring a list of specific questions to the meeting. Most importantly, meet with people who have recently come on board and find out how successful they have been, and determine the biggest challenges in the beginning. Put yourself in the customers shoes and have them respond to every hole you can find in the product/service (better yet, run the idea through colleagues prior to your meeting). If they can’t answer all of those questions (you should have a comprehensive checklist) convincingly, don’t bother wasting your time.

5) The same job is posted every week. This could mean the place is a revolving door. After a few weeks, new employees leave after recognizing there’s no compelling product or service.

Should I get an MBA?

It’s a question many professionals contemplate on whether it’s worth the time, cost and effort.

To start, focus on one central issue: will the MBA take me to where I want to be more effectively than the alternatives?  Understanding what drives you and selecting the career path that directly links to this can sometimes be difficult.

Evaluate the alternatives before choosing. Attaining the knowledge, skills and abilities for your future job is critical, so do your research on the career you ultimately desire to find out exactly what you need to get there. Look online to see job descriptions/requirements. Most importantly, talk with someone currently achieving success in this career path who can convey to you everything you need to not only get hired, but also to become a  success. Talk to a few people to get a better sample size.

After doing your research, if it becomes evident that there are other avenues to get you to your next position (a few courses, independent projects, etc), then by all means forego the MBA and pursue that strategy. If you conclude that the MBA is your best choice, then start looking into the best programs that fit the priority of your requirements (location, cost, reputation, job placement, in-depth courses and well known professors in your field).

Once classes start up, attack the courses and professors directly linked to this career path.  The first year is often a dizzying array of required courses and can be a hectic schedule. Keep focused on the most relevant tasks and start the summer internship process early. Otherwise, you might get lost in the shuffle of irrelevant coursework, speaker and networking events that are “nice to attend”, but will not get you to your goal. 

You're Unemployed and Desperate for a Job

OK, so you've reached rock bottom: unemployment status.

Regardless of whether you're eligible for unemployment benefits, you're in a hole that you have to dig yourself out of as quickly as possible. Whether you've been in your situation for days, weeks or months, it is helpful to create a sense of urgency. Think survival mode and do not become complacent.

Here are the immediate steps one should consider executing:

1) Complete the resume and don't fudge it (containing accurate dates of employment). Establish the versions you want for the positions you want. Have a close group of those you respect and trust review it (people who will spend more than 5 minutes reviewing it). Ask for brutal honesty and a quick turnaround.

2) Contact the most successful people you know who care about you. They are your first and most important lifeline. They will go to battle for you. Provide them with your resume and give them a snapshot of your current situation, tell them what you are looking to do. Most importantly, do your own research on how they might be able to help you, and tell them (you are asking them, but they need to be told what exactly it is you want – remember these people are busy) how to help you. They will be able to read your situation very quickly and make things happen. They know the right people or can provide an effective resource/direction. Explore every resource in this category and follow up quickly. Keep your contact in the loop on all correspondence with any of the leads they give you, and be sure to thank them.

3) Contact other successful people who may care about your situation. You consider these people contacts but you were never able to get a good read on them -- now is the time to test them out. The bottom line is they are successes and could be a good resource. In life, sometimes the least likely people you expect will help you out, either through circumstance or out of good nature. They may require more follow up, but still can provide a good lead.

4) Contact other close friends and family. Although you may be reluctant to rely on family since they some may not know how to effectively go about helping you, or may become overly concerned with your situation, you need to face reality: they are family and will eventually find out about your situation anyway. So why not use this concern to your advantage? They care about you and will fight for you.

Again, it is important to articulate to them what you are interested in (especially family) -  failing to do so will result in irrelevant job opportunities sent to you, wasting your time having to read through them and then explain to your friend why it is not a good fit.

It is also beneficial to demonstrate that you are proactive among family and friends. They might sense some level of urgency (which might be the case if you are worrying how you are going to pay the rent and get that painful toothache taken care of, since you might not have health insurance). Strike a delicate balance of being proactive but not sounding or looking desperate. If they sense this, they might feel bad for you and console you instead of actually help you.

5) Online searches. OK, so I know you were saying to yourself, "when is he going to list search online for jobs?" Chances are if you are reading this, you have already been applying online to plenty of jobs. Continue to do so, but re-tool the wording of your resume to better match the job descriptions without going overboard. Do not spend more than a few hours per week on online searches – they can be draining and unproductive.   

Now, the next two steps can arguably be swapped depending whether you can find recommended headhunters:

6) Meet with a few quality headhunters. Ask your network for recommendations. Let’s face it, most headhunters aren't very helpful (short attention span, unreturned phone

calls, little feedback or updates on opportunities, etc.). If you are going to take the time to meet with any, make sure they add value before deciding to meet with them. If you can't get any recommendations, you may want to put this step towards the end of your to-do list or avoid them altogether.

7) Contact remaining network. This involves contacting past employers, alumni from your school(s), and any others who might give you the time of day (semi-warm leads). Use your judgment on how to contact them (email, phone) but as tempting as it may be, do not blast out a mass email. Personalize it and thank them for their time (since you both know you probably would not have contacted them otherwise).