Trapped in a recruitment process (case)

August 22, 2024 | CareerAngels | International Job Hunting

Trapped in a recruitment process (case)

Our team at Career Angels regularly receives messages from candidates who have lost all hopes of ever finding the right job, as their efforts seem to lead nowhere. Below we share one of many such e-mails with a similar sentiment (and our response) that we have received in the recent months.

Dear Career Angels,

I have been trying to change my job for quite some time. I am searching actively, but it seems to lead nowhere – the market has become very hermetic.

I have taken all the steps I could: contacting decision makers and my own network, personalizing my CV, using keywords, preparing the so-called cover e-mails – NO results. I always get either a negative response or no response at all.

It seems that LinkedIn is not useful for searches within my industry. Or perhaps it’s me who can’t present my skills in an effective way.

I have been trying to find a job for several years now, even though others usually find one after a few months. I decided it was pointless and gave up trying.

More than once, after sending a fully personalized CV to a decision maker, I ended up with my application getting lost in the ether. Sending a follow-up message yielded no results either – just another unfulfilled promise of getting back to me. With such experiences, I find it difficult to re-enter the job market holding my head high.

Dear candidate, we hear you!

The dynamic job market is ever more demanding for candidates, and the lack of visible results in a job search process can lead to frustration, especially if it has been going on for a long time. After months of searching, many candidates would feel trapped in their job search, with no hope of ever escaping. How can this be fixed?

Let us now pick out fragments of the e-mail, so that we can comment on them directly.

I have been trying to change my job for quite some time. I am searching actively, but it seems to lead nowhere – the market has become very hermetic.

I have taken all the steps I could: contacting decision makers and my own network, personalizing my CV, using keywords, preparing the so-called cover e-mails – NO results. I always get either a negative response or no response at all.

Your job search process started really well – direct contact with decision makers, personalized CV, keywords, cover e-mails. You realize that it is not enough to focus on only one job search channel, and this knowledge alone should increase your chances.

And yet, despite your tremendous efforts, you are not seeing tangible results. Why?

It seems that LinkedIn is not useful for searches within my industry. Or perhaps it’s me who can’t present my skills in an effective way.

Contrary to what you might think, LinkedIn facilitates job searching in virtually any industry. According to The Linked In Man (click here!), the platform has recently multiplied the number of available industries. The latest global ranking looks as follows:

The size of an industry on LinkedIn may indicate tough competition, but also many opportunities for growth and significant support within the industry. And if your industry is not at the top of the rankings, you get the chance to stand out from the crowd. The platform’s versatility ensures that people from all walks of life will be able to succeed in their searches, as long as they put in the right amount of effort.

On the other hand, when it comes to skills, it’s a good idea to check the recommended ones for your position of choice. LinkedIn makes this option available to everyone (more so for Premium users!). All you have to do is find your target job ad and analyze the skills that are listed there. Then simply add them to your profile. Learn more in our guide on creating a solid profile on LinkedIn: click here!

Sometimes, however, the problem may not lie in the presentation of skills, but in their representation. If you see space for improvement in this area, don’t think twice – expand your competences with missing skills by joining online courses. At several stages of your job search, it’s also a good idea to highlight your strengths and achievements. Tests like the CliftonStrengths Assessment can be useful for this.

I have been trying to find a job for several years now, even though others usually find one after a few months. I decided it was pointless and gave up trying.

Our expectations for the job search usually have little to do with the truth. Many candidates become discouraged after only a few months. In reality, this is exactly the point at which you should maximize your efforts.

Ultimately, the length of the job search process depends primarily on the candidate (e.g. a candidate with a clear and simple goal vs. an undecided candidate changing industries):

  • normally, we aim for a minimum 6-month job search,
  • in more difficult situations, the process can extend to 12 months,
  • while marginal cases can take up to 24 months.

Going over any of these three thresholds may indicate insufficient commitment on the part of the candidate (despite their best efforts). In the end, the job search process is nothing more but a systematic and consistent execution of a plan, whose two most important steps are:

  1. Defining your goal. Before you go any further, ask yourself questions about your career plans to organize the job search process toward fulfilling them.
  2. Preparing your application tools properly. In addition to a personalized CV, it is very important to prepare an additional CV for the ATS. Up to 99% of large companies use ATS as part of their recruitment processes. We recommend reading our guide on the topic to prepare an ATS-compliant CV: click here!

If you’ve been looking for a job for several years, you can assume that your efforts have not been maximized. Or you might have spread them out over long periods, limited by your responsibilities. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to bypass this, and yet the job search process is all about having your eyes on the prize and concentrating on the goal you want to achieve in the near future.

Attitude is also key. Focus on real activities, but don’t forget to have a positive mindset. Determination and self-confidence are invaluable assets in the job search process.

More than once, after sending a fully personalized CV to a decision maker, I ended up with my application getting lost in the ether. Sending a follow-up message yielded no results either – just another unfulfilled promise of getting back to me. With such experiences, I find it difficult to re-enter the job market holding my head high.

Even though it didn’t work out in these cases, don’t let that stop you from using this method in the future. Direct contact is still the second most effective job search channel, taken down from the top spot by job ads only in the last few years. Check out the latest Job Hunting Report for more information: click here!

To make sure you’re getting the most out of the direct contact channel, let’s recap its basics:

  • contact 90-120 companies within 1-2 weeks,
  • send a follow-up message within 7-10 days of the first message,
  • statistically, you will only receive a response to 30% of your e-mails.

Finally: remember that none of the four job search channels should be ignored or treated superficially. Only by maximizing the use of each one will you see the desired results in a short period of time.

A candidate who feels trapped in their recruitment process is a challenge for our consultants, but we have developed strategies that can help. It’s important to set realistic goals and break down the job search process into steps. Implementing them consistently will prevent you from feeling overwhelmed and powerless. Additionally, support from a mentor can provide you with the needed motivation and perspective.

Not sure if you’re doing enough? Check out our Job Hunting Efficiency tool – answer 9 short questions and receive a comprehensive analysis of your job search efforts: click here!

If you are an experienced manager or executive with at least 10 years of experience and would like to discuss your job search strategy, don’t hesitate to contact us!