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When Everyone Knows About it, It's no Longer a Secret!

by Chris Souther
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I'll just go ahead and say it; someone has to; "All these articles appearing on job boards and newsletters telling job hunters the "tricks" to getting a great job, are nothing more than fluff articles filling up empty space in newsletters because no one wants to read about how bad the job market really is right now."

That's pretty harsh you say? Oh come on, It's not harsh. Tell me you haven't read one of these recently and, having done the job search thing in the last two years, know from experience that it's mostly just dumb luck that got you that callback for an interview. I bet it had nothing to do with some back door secret that you gleaned from some writer (who has a job, I might add) sitting in their cubicle in some large metropolis.

We all like to think that we're "extra-smart" or that we have a little something that distinguishes us from the "other guy" when it comes to applying for the job. Truth is, even if we do, it usually doesn't come through in a resume.

I was reading an article this morning that appeared in a major job board for the month of August, written by a lady in the DC area. It was an article about "secret tricks" to winning your way to an interview. When you got right down to it, her "secret trick" was to basically lie your way into a managers office by telling them that you're interested in getting information about the company, all under the guise of just "wanting to know." Then, once you've developed this deep, intellectually stimulating relationship, you spring on this manager that you want a job. I mean, I was visibly shaken by the simplicity of this ploy (not really).

Does anyone see the pitfalls here? Am I just super-intelligent and am able to see way further than the average person? Deep down I've always suspected that I was and maybe now, I'm finally able to document it.

So, for my next trick, I'm going to dissect this little "tip" here. But really, this could apply to most of the secrets and tricks that appear in print nowadays.

* First, there's just the whole ethics of this idea. Do you really want to get up in the morning knowing you've got to make phone calls and lie?

* Second, were I the manager, I don't think I would appreciate being deceived by a potential employee. As soon as I found out that all they were after was a job, I'd make sure their name appeared on the blackball list in HR.

* Lastly, if everyone did this, wouldn't it just be...well...obvious? See title.

Thinking back on all the "tips and tricks to job hunting success" that I've seen or heard about in the last few years, I see that it's all just a big roulette wheel. Now that statement is probably going to offend people out there who have spent a gob of money reinventing themselves and gone the whole "career counselor" route. I bet you also have a copy of the latest Job Hunting book on your desk right now. A little something you would know about me if you've read my online book about Job-Hunting; I did the whole career counselor, reinventing myself thing. You know what it got me? A smaller checkbook, that's it. So to answer your question, "Yes, I am an expert in this field." Moving on, there are basically 9 different ways that a person can look and apply for a job. Can you name them? Here's a tip; look at the next line:

1. Snail Mail (AKA US Post Office) - slow, ineffective in my book. Best way for your resume to end up in a pile.

2. E-mail - the old e-mail resume. Fast, efficient, generic

3. Telephone - usually not smart unless there's been a job posted and you've sent them your resume via mail or e-mail.

4. Show up - again, not something I'd recommend. I've been kept waiting for 30 minutes when I DID have an interview. What if they weren't in that day?

5. Networking - a good idea, but tough for the introvert. Also, if you're in the technology field, you probably already know all of your friend and family who might be in a position to recommend you. Us technology geeks are a pretty close group.

6. Reference - ah, my personal favorite. Never hurts to have an insider. Of course, if there's no job available, tough luck.

7. Classified ads - boring, generic. Usually a last resort for high paying jobs.

8. Job Boards - fun, exciting, quick, mass-produced. Is it real, or is it a resume gatherer; you decide.

9. Newsgroups - have you looked at one lately? Do employers really go there?

So there you have it, nine different ways that you can look and/or apply for jobs. Do you see why I say its roulette? In my job-hunting career, I've probably been on 8 interviews for jobs that I applied for, and was not offered a position. That's not bad considering how many different contracts and positions I've held. Did I get these interviews using the techniques above? Sure I did, but no single method has proven supreme. In fact, two of my positions were out of the blue. I didn't even know about them until a recruiter called me.

As my old boss used to say to me, "Quit giving me grief and start giving me answers!" There were usually expletives nested in there somewhere too, but this is a family show.

Since I've shot holes in all the myths and beliefs about modern day job hunting, what can I leave you with that will give you hope, give you back your reason for keeping your ISP? The one thing most of these writers do get right, is that it takes work. It takes lots of time and effort...and coffee. Are you going to be moody and cause your spouse or significant other to tiptoe cautiously around you until you've had dinner? Yes. Are you going to walk outside in the morning with a steaming cup of coffee in your hand, look at the sun and think, "big deal?" Yes. Of course you'll do these things, you're only human. In the midst of all this though, you must remember to keep your chin up, don't spend money on frivolous video games (because you should be job hunting instead of playing them) and keep the faith. Good luck and God Bless.

Chris Souther Copyright(C) 2001 Chris Souther

Chris Souther may be contacted at http://AtlantaCopywriting.webalias.com csouther@mindspring.com. Click here to view more of their articles.
Christopher Souther is a Copywriter and Freelance Writer in Atlanta, Ga. On the side he has published articles on a variety of topics including, Children's Education and today's Job Market. He is currently revising his free Online Guide to Job-Hunting for publishing as well as working on another Non-Fiction book dealing with Adoption.

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