Article #2, Week 2, As a Recruiter, Here’s What I Would Do if I Suddenly Needed to Find a New Job

Happy Saturday, fam.

Welcome to week two of The Rise and Grind. If you follow me on LinkedIn, you know I talk a lot about staying motivated and encouraged during a difficult job search. It’s especially disheartening to see tens of thousands of people lose their jobs while you’re doing your best to keep it together. As I write this, I have you on my mind and heart because I recently went through a job search. I know how it feels.

We change jobs for various reasons, but nowadays it seems like unemployment is being thrusted on folks more and more through corporate layoffs. So, I asked myself what I would do if I either suddenly lost my job, or needed to find a new one quickly.

Here’s my answer.

I’d tap into my network, and fast.

I’d begin to inventory different relationships I’ve developed, both through LinkedIn and in my local community. Focus on combing through previous LinkedIn InMails from recruiters who have reached out to me in the past, and if there was a good connection, reach out to them. Then, I would start expanding my communication to connections I’ve interacted with in the past, and those who are in my industry. Next, I would reach out to contacts at my alma mater to let them know I’m back in the market for a new role. At Disney, we used to call these informal conversations “coffee chats.” The point is you want to get to know people and you want them to know you too. Do this as much as possible.

I’d make sure my resume was updated and professional.

I wouldn’t wait to make sure my resume was ready, because I have been adding to it slowly, over time. I would get a few sets of trusted eyes on it to ensure it’s clear and tells my story well. Having a “master resume” that includes absolutely everything in your professional background would be a good idea. However, you want the resume you submit to focus on impact and outcome, impact and outcome, well, you get the picture. Even though I’ve probably seen thousands of resumes and helped many folks with theirs, I still prefer to have an objective set of eyes that give me real, unadulterated feedback.

I’d start actually applying, well sort of.

I don’t want to discourage you from applying, but seriously, it’s time-consuming and a colossal burden. I think applying is probably good due diligence, but it’s best to leverage a contact with an application. As shocking as it may sound, many companies either already know who they want for a posted role, or will begin internally and then possibly consider external candidates. I would begin with LinkedIn since it’s the most reputable. Avoid those “east apply” options in LinkedIn, and instead of applying in LinkedIn, I’d go to the company careers site to ensure the role is still posted and apply there.

I’d start preparing for my interviews now, not later.

One of the few things I remember from my undergraduate education was the power of being able to “recall” information. Reading a company website or even your resume, hoping the information will stick is a poor man’s game, believe me. I’d make flashcards about important roles and projects I led or contributed to, and practice articulating the STAR - situation, task, action, and result. I would get really good at explaining the impact and results of my work. Next, I would get a good recruiter buddy of mine to actually “mock interview me.” He’s going to ask me the tough questions and make sure I don’t get away with talking my way around and out of the questions (recruiters get really good at that.). Then, he’ll give me feedback about my interview that I know will be honest.

In Conclusion.

Obviously, there’s so much more that goes into a job search. But I just wanted to give you a snapshot of what I would do, as a recruiter, if I were forced to start looking for a new role. My answers are a bit oversimplified, but the truth still rings true - you need to leverage your network, build a stellar resume, apply for roles, and actually prepare for interviews. I know there’s a lot of fear and anxiety that comes along with this process, I get that, and I’ve experienced it firsthand.

I’m in your corner.

Until next week,

Mark