It's Not You, It's Them - Increase Your Chance of Hearing Back

We Take You Beyond the Resume

As we all know, this tough job market has dragged on for far too long.  In the media you'll see reports of economic recovery but the unemployment rate is still very high.  I don't know about you, but when I look around, I'm not seeing this economic recovery the media keeps talking about.  I'm seeing highly qualified job candidates, experts in their fields, get passed over for jobs on a regular basis.  I hear from clients how they're being brought in for numerous interviews over a period of months and then never hearing back.  All the while, corporate America is complaining about a lack of technically skilled job applicants even though our universities are awarding scientific degrees at an all time high.  So what's going on?  Why aren't companies hiring you?  The answer is, it's really not you.  It's them.  

Related: Job Listings With Less Competition

The economic recovery isn't isolated to the US, it's global.  And it's happening far more slowly than predicted.  Add to that the shenanigans of our government with the fiscal cliff nonsense and, more recently, the whole sequestering debacle, large companies are not feeling secure enough to start hiring again.  So they wait.  They wait for our government to tell them something concrete about the economic recovery.  The problem is, the government can't promise them everything will be ok.  Because they don't know.  They're just people, too trying to get this worked out.  Psychic, they're not.  But until large companies see some sort of guarantee that it's safe to start growing again, they're holding off hiring.  Excuses such as not enough technical skills in the US labor force are just that, excuses.  So once this recovery actually gets rolling, the situation will be very different.  But until then, what do you do?

Entrepreneurship is at an all time high in the US.  More small companies are being started now than at any other point in our history.  And they're making money.  Which means they're growing.  And when companies start growing, they start hiring.  Rather than focusing on large companies that are holding their breath, afraid to move, start looking for smaller companies and start ups to work for.  A great place to start looking is your local Chamber of Commerce.  Most have a website and you can look up business members.  Working for a smaller company or a start up doesn't necessarily mean lower pay, and it can have benefits that a larger company doesn't.  A smaller company's staff usually works more closely together giving you the opportunity to learn new skills and be involved in projects that you would never have a chance at in a large company. There's also more room for career growth.  In a smaller company, especially a start up there are lots of opportunities to take on more responsibility and really show what you can contribute.  Getting promoted is easier because frequently, there isn't anyone in the position you get promoted to and you have the chance to really define the role and make it your own.  And if you stay with it and help grow the company to be successful, you may just find yourself a permanent home.

Related:  Market Your Career and Stand Out

So don't worry about what it is you're doing wrong when you don't hear back from all those companies you applied to.  It's not you.  It's them.  Take a look at the smaller businesses and start ups in your area. They're much more likely to actually hire for open positions and give you a better career opportunity.  And if they're local, you may even know someone there or a friend of a friend that could introduce you.  As long as you're using current job search techniques and marketing yourself properly, just know that it isn't you.  It really is them.  And that next job will happen.  It really will.