Chapter 19

Ten Ways the Job Search Has Evolved in the 21st Century

In This Chapter

Discovering the shift from paper-based résumés to online content and relationships

Realizing the importance of an online reputation and what you can do for your target company

In this chapter, I guide you through some of the major differences between today’s job search (yes, today as in right now) and job searches of the past. The rules have changed a lot in the past ten years, so don’t rely on what worked for you earlier in your career or the tips your old dad gave you.

The First Page of Google Has Become Your New Résumé

Recruiters are now using Google searches to find talent instead of paying for job-board or talent databases like they used to. In fact, many companies even mandate that every new applicant go through a Google screening process. So that means that the first page of your Google search results matter much more than they ever did before. The problem is that, unlike a standard background check, what Google delivers on a name search isn’t regulated and is very difficult for the user to control. Furthermore, Google’s search algorithm changes several times a year, so it’s difficult to know what will show up.

So what can you do about this situation? First, become a publisher of your own content and flood Google with lots of great keyword-rich content (I explain how to write such content in Chapter 6). Second, set up a Google Alert with your name in quotations so you know every time a new result shows up for your name. When you know what shows up in search results, you can take steps to either promote or bury that information.

A Summary Is Enough

Nowadays, you no longer need a multipage résumé that includes lengthy, bulleted lists of all your past working experiences. A paragraph-long summary at the top of a one- to two-page résumé or in an online profile is more than enough to get by in the modern job-search market. Because so many candidates are competing for each job, HR people (or hiring managers if they’re tasked with recruitment) often scan résumés or profiles quickly. In fact, the average time these folks spend reviewing a résumé is less than 30 seconds. So make your summary paragraph count, whether it’s at the top of a résumé or in an online profile. You can go into the details about your career during the interview.

Social Proof Is a Must

Social proof, or the notion that if others think you’re cool then you must be cool, is essential because it seriously reduces the perceived risk of you as a candidate. Social proof for a job seeker can be LinkedIn recommendations or even testimonials from ex-bosses. The most costly mistake a hiring manager can make is to hire the wrong person. Some say that if a new hire leaves within three months, it costs the organization one and a half times that person’s annual salary. And with the economy as tight as it is, you can understand why hiring managers are so risk averse.

You can set hiring managers’ minds at ease that you’re a low-risk prospect by offering social proof on your résumé and LinkedIn profile. A good standard is to have at least three recommendations for each place you have worked.

Résumés and Cover Letters Aren’t Read on Paper Anymore

Most organizations aren’t receiving paper résumés in the mail anymore. Instead, they’re getting them via e-mail or their application system. Instead of printing and reviewing résumés on paper, most organizations review them on-screen. So expect your résumé and cover letter to be read on a computer screen and format it accordingly.

Always format your documents in a way that makes screen-scanning easy.

Use headlines to break up content.

Keep paragraphs short.

Use bold and italics to emphasize key points.

Keep plenty of white space on the page (which may mean limiting your paragraphs to one sentence — oh my!)

Use color tastefully.

Consider adding logos, icons, or charts.

Relationships First, Résumés Second

Thanks to the popularity of social media, your résumé may not be the first thing a potential employer sees about you. As more and more people connect with each other online through LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites, a potential employer is far more likely to see your online profile before ever setting eyes on your résumé. (This trend is a good thing because your online profile offers much more information about you than your résumé does. Specifically, it contains more details about your work history, links to other resources about you, and testimonials from ex-bosses and co-workers, and it offers a peek into your personality.) So shift your priorities from “I have to update my résumé!” to “How can I expand my network?”

If you’re running your modern job search right, you’ll get unsolicited e-mails from recruiters. Because they may ask you for your résumé at some point, be sure to have a copy ready to share.

Employers Only Care about What They Want

In years past, a résumé or job application focused on what the job seeker wanted. Now an application, résumé, or cover letter must speak to what value the job seeker can bring to the organization. As you write your online profiles, be sure to communicate how you can bring value to a company and how soon that company can realize that value.

Gaps in Employment Are Okay

Large gaps in your résumé aren’t as important as they used to be. Not only do employers realize that great and wonderful people get laid off, but they also appreciate when candidates show initiative and volunteer, take a temp job, or try to start their own business or blog. (Some analysts even predict that by 2020, most professionals will use the Internet to generate multiple streams of income in addition to their day job.)

As long as you have a good explanation for the time you weren’t working and can show that you’ve tried to be productive during it, a good potential employer will understand. (And if you encounter an employer who doesn’t, then you may not want to work there anyway.)

Nouns Are the New Currency

Screening software and LinkedIn talent searches have introduced an unexpected element to the way a résumé should be written. Because these tools rely on nouns or keywords (rather than verbs) to deliver search results to recruiters, the résumés with the right combination of nouns often win. After all, when was the last time you used a verb in a Google search?

If you want to succeed in today’s job search, make a commitment to figuring out how to research keywords and how to use them appropriately online. (I show you how to conduct this research in Chapter 5.) Of course, those powerful verbs your college career adviser gave you are still important, too.

Everyone Has a Personal Brand

Ten years ago, not many people knew what a personal brand was or really had much of an online reputation. These days, even if you don’t know what a personal brand is or even if you’ve never touched a computer, you still have a personal brand and an online reputation. Because recruiters and hiring managers are looking for red flags to help them narrow down their candidate pools, inconsistencies in your image or messaging and a sullied reputation may prevent you from passing screening. So you have to decide whether you’ll control your image or someone else will. Turn to Part II for advice on taking charge of your personal brand and managing your online reputation.

Employers Expect You to Be Prepared

Back in the day, it didn’t matter whether your résumé was geared toward a particular company. Now, thanks to the Internet, you have access to more information about a company at your fingertips than generations past. Companies’ expectations for preparedness are much higher. Focus on customizing each résumé and cover letter for the company you’re targeting. Sending off a few very targeted applications is a much better strategy than sending out many general applications and hoping they reach the right people.