Biggest job search mistakes people make, according to this top recruiting firm
The top executive at the world’s largest recruiting firm says the job market is hot right now and it’s the perfect time for unhappy workers to pounce.
“There are allegedly 6 million jobs available,” Gary Burnison, CEO of Korn Ferry, told FOX Business. “This is the time to be proactive. The market is good,so there shouldn’t be any excuses,”
Burnison, who just authored the book “Lose the Resume, Land the Job,” said the biggest mistake he sees job seekers make – even the high-powered ones he recruits – is sending out resumes “blindly.”
“If that’s all you’re doing, you might as well go to 7-Eleven and a buy a lottery ticket, scratch it off and see if you win,” he said.
According to Burnison, the key step for the unemployed – or the disgruntled – is starting with purpose and with happiness: “What wakes you up without the alarm clock besides an earthquake?What is it that you truly like doing?”
Burnison estimates that 50% of employed workers hate their jobs because of their bosses.
“It’s true, people don’t leave jobs, they leave bosses,” he said, adding that he doesn’t recommendthat people jump ship solely because of a bad supervisor. People should always have a definitive plan first and leave on their own terms, he said.
Burnison adds that enhanced competition isn’t a cure-all.
Take, for example, all the bonuses companies such as Disney, Walmart and Apple are passing out afterPresident Donald Trump signed the tax overhaul.Burnison said it’s not a sustainable tactic in employee retention or recruitment in the long term.
“Money is not a durable commodity,” he said. “The money is great, but it’s not going to be sustainable. What is sustainable is someone telling you every day, ‘Wow, you made a difference in my life,’ or, ‘I could not have done it without you.’ ”
As for tips on landing that dream job, Burnison warns people to stop focusing on their resume and start networking as if it’s a contact sport.
“Networking is a big mystery to most people,” he wrote in “Lose the Resume, Land the Job.” “And even many of those who think they do it well probably don’t—because they don’t realize it’s always about the other person.”
Don’t connect with people for the sole purpose of asking for help, according to Burnison. It will likely put them off. Instead, focus on building relationships that are two-way streets.
His last and most important piece of advice: Play defense before you play offense on social media.That means every hiring manager is going to Google you and immediately form an opinion of you. “Be smart,” he said.