Blog Post 25: PSA: Job sites are NOT your friend if you’re wanting to a new job. Here’s why (and what to do instead) ➡️
You’ve been feeling it for a while.
Or rather, not ‘feeling it’…
While perhaps you enjoyed your job when you first started, it’s no longer exciting to you. You’re not fulfilled. You’re a combination of bored and stressed (a terrible combination of feelings).
So you start thinking about what else you can do.
And where do you look? The job sites.
You search the job sites, set up an alert for roles that you think might be a better fit.
You apply for a few, not really that excited about any of them, but thinking that it’s a good next step.
You spend time and effort writing your application. You spend days fixing up your resume.
You hit ‘submit’ and wait for a response.
And wait.
Crickets.
After a few days, you receive an email notifying you that your application has been unsuccessful.
Or you are ghosted and you receive nothing.
You think that you mustn’t be ‘good enough’ for that role. Your application wasn’t good enough.
You’ll never be good enough to do anything else.
You feel defeated and unworthy.
Sound familiar?
I speak to SO many people that tell me a similar story, so I wanted to share with you some VERY useful advice and insights about job sites and job searches, that I’m sure will help you if you are wanting to change jobs or careers.
If you’re using job boards as your main source of inspiration for trying to discover what roles might be a better fit for you and if you’re predominantly using job boards for your job search PLEASE read this!
Using job sites as your main job search strategy is NOT a good idea.
I repeat, do NOT use job sites as your main job search strategy.
Here are a few reasons why:
Job sites are a PASSIVE job search technique
A strategic job search plan includes BOTH active and passive job search techniques, and job sites are a very passive job search technique.
Passive techniques include searching and applying on job sites or employer website postings and aimlessly connecting with people on LinkedIn (without a targeted strategy or personalised message). They are passive in the sense that they don’t create any meaningful connection with a person. And opportunities are attached to people.
You are just a nameless, faceless data sheet.
Active techniques however include face to face networking, targeted informational interviews, career fairs, networking events, targeted LinkedIn connections and specific asks.
2. 75% of jobs are NOT posted on job site
Less than 25% of jobs are posted on job sites(!) meaning that you’re fighting for a measly 25% of the jobs with the rest of the world who doesn't know this.
So where are the remaining 75% of jobs? They are in the ‘hidden market’.
This sounds very secretive but it just means that 75% of positions are not advertised in traditional print or online sources.
75% of jobs are filled through referrals, through networks.
This is why networking is a MUCH more effective and active job search strategy.
3. It is more likely that the Applicant Tracking System, and not a human, will be seeing your application
When you are submitting an application via a job site, it is going directly into computer software known as an Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
Hiring managers and recruiters simply don’t have the time or resources to look at the hundreds of resumes they receive for each job post, so they use ATS, which analyses your resume and stores it in a database.
Hiring managers then search the ATS database for resumes that match the qualifications they’re looking for.
This is great for employers, but hard on job seekers because up to 75% of resumes from qualified applicants never make it out of the ATS database into human hands.
4. Need to have at least 95% of the qualifications
If you don’t have over 95% of qualifications on your resume for a particular job and just apply via a job site (where your resume is analysed by ATS), you have less than a 2% chance of getting the job.
I don’t know about you but I do NOT like those odds.
5. It’s a waste of your precious time
Submitting your resume to 100 jobs does not increase your chances of getting an interview or a job.
It’s not about quantity. It’s about quality. And using your time wisely.
So here’s what you need to do instead:
Use job boards as a starting off point
Use job boards for inspiration. Search for roles that you might be interested in to understand what the roles and responsibilities might be if you were to work in that role. Have a look at the qualifications and training that the role usually requires.
Also, when you are creating job applications, have a look at job descriptions for similar roles on job sites, identify core competencies, roles and responsibilities and use those industry and role-specific keywords in your customised resume and cover letter.
2. Set up alerts on a max of 2 job sites
I recommend that my clients only look at 2 job sites and set up alerts for a max of 2 sites, otherwise it can get quite overwhelming and you’ll receive a lot of repeated job alerts.
3. ALWAYS do a +1 approach
If you are going to spend the time and effort creating a job application for a job posting on a site, make sure you ALWAYS do a +1 approach.
A +1 approach means that you do the thing (eg. submit your job application) and then you take it one step further by reaching out DIRECTLY to the hiring manager or recruiter to introduce yourself, and put your application in their email inbox or hands.
Add them on LinkedIn, always with a personalised message.
I have MANY more proven strategies and practical tips to share on this, so be sure to read my next blog post which will be on how to network when you HATE networking!
Love Loren x
