This is just one of many emails we have received in the past months. As it’s a very good example, we’d like to share with you our response to it.
“Dear Career Angels,
I find it difficult to stay positive at the moment, to be honest.
I have only contacted 3 headhunters so far and have not received any feedback from any of them. I’ll go back to all of them today, but honestly I don’t expect much. I have also not received any inquiries via LinkedIn and Xing.
I have applied directly to two companies, but through their recommended channel for “spontaneous” candidates. One of these companies asked “for more information.”
Direct applications are extremely difficult for me. Yesterday I made a list of around 20-30 companies, which I now have to take a closer look at. When I saw the first one, I saw that there were one or two jobs that would fit. That means that a direct application is no longer viable, correct?
In general, I find it difficult to identify who I should send the speculative application to – I don’t want to “miss the target” by going “too high” or “too low”.
For project manager positions, experience in agile is always required. I am currently doing all of the courses, but I have no practical experience in them. I also lack the professional experience in the industry that most jobs require.
I applied for almost 15 jobs that were advertised, and gradually the rejections come in. I applied for various strategy project management roles.
At the moment I am also designing my email for direct applications. But it’s not easy for me either.
So it is not going so well and I am losing hope that I will find something soon… “
Dear reader,
We hear you!
Looking for a job is an emotional journey. It’s a little bit like dating… especially when you try to find the perfect match through a match-making portal or app. How many “hearts” or “swipes” do you have to send to match, so you can start a conversation? How many messages to have an actual date? With how many people? It’s a process. Filled with lots of emotional ups and downs, filled with hope and disappointment and then joy and hope and so forth.
One important factor needs to be considered here: activity vs. timing.
Who will be more frustrated in the following scenario: somebody who’s been on only 3 dates and was ghosted once? Or somebody who’s been on 15 dates out of which 5 were terrible and 5 OK?
Let’s put that into some context with Person A or Person B.
Person A: installed an app in January 2019. Checks their profile once or twice a month. Engages then with 1–2 people. Went on 2 dates last year. One was terrible. The other one OK. One date before CV-19. Was chatting with this really nice person for 3 months and then they were ghosted.
Person B: installed an app in May 2020. Checks their profile daily. Engages then with 3–4 people. Has been on 15 dates. 5 were terrible, 5 were OK, 3 quite good, and 2 amazing. But one of them ghosted although you were sure there was chemistry.
In our experience, the person who’s been looking for a job the longest, but at low intensity is more frustrated than the person who’s been looking for a short time at high intensity. Why? The more intense (& targeted) the efforts, the more rejection, but – by consequence – also the more positive responses. And because there’s so much going on, it’s easy to focus on the positive. With low intensity over a long period of time, the negative reactions are much more visible and intense.
Translating this now fully into the Career Angels’ methodology:
For the response rate to be 30–50% and the interview rate to be 5–10%, you need to hit the necessary statistical numbers:
- contact 75–120 companies (numbers for 2020 due to CV-19, before: 60-90)
- contact min. 30–50 recruiters (before: approx. 30)
Remember: “contact” means: send the 1st email and then the follow–up email.
Let us now pick out fragments of the email, so we can comment on them directly.
Another important aspect – especially if you want to increase positive results: if you know that applying to job ads is the least effective job search channels, focus on those job search channels (direct application and networking) that you know are more efficient.
I have only contacted 3 headhunters so far and have not received any feedback from any of them. I’ll go back to all of them today, but honestly I don’t expect much.
→ As mentioned, prepare a list of min. 30–40 headhunters that fit your role / industry.
I have also not received any inquiries via LinkedIn and Xing.
→ The LinkedIn and Xing profiles serve as a support tool – they additionally serve as a source to confirm your credibility once you’ve reached out directly.
I have applied directly to two companies, but through their recommended channel for “spontaneous” candidates. One of these companies asked for more information.”
→ You already know, you should increase the number to 75–120 companies. Aside from that: ignore the “official” channels. OR: treat them as an additional option, but definitely reach out to your potential boss. Part of the success of that channel is a demonstration of one’s proactivity.
Tip: don’t overthink which companies you put on that list – make sure that the most important criteria are fulfilled: location, size, industry. Start researching them more closely once you receive an interview invitation.
Yesterday I made a list of around 20-30 companies, which I now have to take a closer look at. When I saw the first one, I saw that there were one or two jobs that would fit. That means that a direct application is no longer viable, correct?
→ As above: I’d still apply directly – irrespectively of the job ads. For one: you don’t know if they are actually still on-going or just there for e.g. marketing purposes or to research the market.
In general, I find it difficult to identify who I should send the speculative application to – I don’t want to “miss the target” by going “too high” or “too low”.
→ Make an educated guess. In your case, it’s most probably Operations Manager, unless they have a proper Head of PMO.
For project manager positions, experience in agile is always required. I am currently doing all of the courses, but I have no practical experience in them. I also lack the professional experience in the industry that most jobs require.
→ You’ve chosen a path – on purpose – where you have a big part of transferable competencies, but are not a 100% “plug & play” candidate. And here again – applying directly or using your network circumvents HR which only “ticks boxes” at the CV screening process. PLUS: even if you apply via job ads, you don’t have to fulfil 100% of the requirements. 75% is enough to give it a try. Please note: usually women are much stricter and more demanding toward themselves than men. AND: last, but not least – you do bring competencies & experiences to the table that other candidates don’t.
I applied for almost 15 jobs that were advertised, and gradually the rejections come in. I applied for various strategy project management roles.
→ For completeness of my answer: it’s a numbers game AND job ads are the least effective job search channels. To be sure: have you been profiling your applications with jobscan.co?
So it is not going so well and I am losing hope that I will find something soon… “
It’s easy to say “Don’t lose hope”. We really hear you.
Two tips:
1) Set a “minimum” activity goal for every workday, e.g. 1 headhunter + 1 direct application to a company + 1 job ad + outstanding follow-ups & thank you emails. It can obviously be more, but it should be an absolute minimum, that you can always reach – even during 10-15 min. before going to bed.
2) Find a job search or accountability buddy. That’s a person who’s going through the same process and you motivate each other to keep going. You can schedule sessions during which both of you “have to” do a certain activity. It might turn out that one of you is good at finding headhunters and the other one at finding email addresses – so you can “barter” lists and other tasks. Or: you find somebody who hold you accountable for the set goals (see point 1). And a tip within a tip: you can implement a “penalties” and/or “rewards” system. Everybody responds differently to them. Some don’t like them at all. Figure out what works for you.
Are you an experienced manager or executive who’s losing hope? Would you like us to have a look at your activity? Send an email with your CV and a brief description of your situation to Bichl.Sandra (at) CareerAngels.eu with the subject: Free Career Consultation or fill out the form here.
