Ch 24: Post Layoff Job search Cont.

Here’s the hard truth about job searching. Applying alone isn’t enough all the time. Is it enough sometimes? Yes! Networking alone isn’t your golden ticket either. But applying AND networking is going to be your winning combination.

Last week I shared some networking tips. Networking is a great and effective tool if done correctly. You don’t want to reach out to a person you’re connected to and ask them for a referral. Referrals are for people who know you.

Networking happens with three types of people, generally: Hiring Managers, Recruiters, colleagues. This is true whether you have years of experience or are switching careers.

Hiring managers and recruiters are going to be the target with most amount of ROI. Potential colleagues are great if you want to know more about the team environment and such.

Your target with networking is to get to the interview. Interviews have changed since the pandemic. Most interviews happen virtually and you need to be prepared for it.

Here are some easy tips to get prepared for interviews.

• Your voicemail: Have you set it up? Do you have a greeting? I am a practitioner of recording a message where I say my name so people leaving me a message know how to say it. “Hi, you’ve reached Tejal Wagadia, I’m sorry I couldn’t get to the phone right now please leave me your name, number, and reason for your call and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.” For me, I had to practice this more than a few times before I hit record on my phone. You also need to check your voicemail on a regular basis and delete the ones you don’t need. Voicemail boxes still get full in 2023.
• Email: Check your spam, and junk folders on a regular basis. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve reached out to candidates only for them to tell me that my email ended up in their spam folders. No hard feelings here as it happens, but the email you might be waiting for could be in your spam folder.
• Research: Now you don’t need to be Hermione and memorize everything about the person/company you’re interviewing with, but knowing a few key facts about the company shows that you are interested in their org.

When you initially speak with the recruiter, you should ask them these questions:

• Can you tell me more about this team and hiring manager?
• What problem are they trying to solve?
• When should I expect to hear back from your team?
• How often would you like me to follow up with you if I don’t hear back?
• What is the average interview timeline for this role? – Most companies aren’t hiring by a date, they’re hiring for the right person so you want to know what the interviewing cycle looks like.
• How many rounds of interview should I expect? Is there a project or assignment I need to complete?
• Could you tell me more about the compensation structure? What is the makeup of total compensation for this role? I’m expecting to make XX-XX in my next role, could you share your budget for this role?

Now you don’t have to ask all of the above questions, you don’t even have to ask any of them. Ask the ones you want to ask. If you google interview questions to ask, you’ll get more than 10 pages of results. The one question I’d say to avoid asking is “do you have any reservations about my candidacy.” Just don’t! It’s not a good question as you won’t get a real answer. Plus, if they didn’t have reservations now you’ve put that seed in their brain.

Next is thank you letters. These are a take it or leave it for me. It’s not really going to make an impact in the overall decision. If you have something to say and want to thank them, go for it. You can also ask the recruiter at the organization if the hiring managers care about thank you letters. My point is you don’t have to unless it’s something that’s expected.

Here’s the thing: there are plenty of recruiters sharing their expertise every day. You don’t have to listen to me AT ALL. But please do yourself this favor, listen to the recruiters who are at the company you want to work at.

Want more information? Here are two of my favorite recruiters who have more resources.

https://www.recruitinginyogapants.com/interview-faqs - Amy Miller

https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/anatomy-job-interview-process-kristen-fife-she-her-hers-/ - Kristen Fife

Until next time,

Stay Caffeinated!