Career Corner: Managing A Job Search Today

A job search can be frustrating – one day you have great momentum and then the next you hear crickets. The hiring process often is an exercise in which you “hurry up and wait” without a clear picture of what’s going on behind the scenes.

Here are a few tips on how to manage expectations, communicate and stay engaged during a job search.
 
1. Manage Expectations
The average time from posting a job to extending an offer is 35 days, but it varies widely (two weeks to over two months in some industries) due to many internal and external factors. For example, recruiters and hiring managers balance multiple responsibilities; filling the position you seek may beyourpriority, but nottheirs. Changes in leadership or revenue, a reorganization or pending merger – and, of course, a pandemic – can impact plans too. Pay close attention to what’s happening with the company in the news, on LinkedIn and other company social media, job announcement closing dates etc. for insights into timeframes and possible delays.

2. Communicate Effectively
Recruiters and hiring managers can’t always field every question from every candidate – they’re usually inundated with emails and voice messages – so if you need to reach out, remember to:

  • Be patient, polite and professional.
  • Send an email or direct LinkedIn message (instead of call) to increase likelihood of response (unless the contact specifically prefers calls).
  • Communicate clearly and concisely to facilitate easier answering of questions.
  • Avoid asking anything you can find the answer to on your own.

When receiving emails from recruiters and hiring managers, read messages carefully and respond promptly. While they may have the luxury of taking a few days to get back to you, as a candidate, you do not.

3. Take Action
When awaiting hiring decisions, it’s important to keep active and engaged. Network on LinkedIn, participate in virtual events (especially those hosted by FEI!) and communicate with contacts. You never know who may have other job leads or connections to refer you to -- or inside knowledge about the company you’ve applied to – unless you stay connected and engaged. If the process gets too frustrating or stagnates, it’s ok to take a break too. Do something personally rewarding to refresh and recharge and then you can kick your job search efforts back into action thereafter.

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