Having previously opined about how many, many job candidates could become better represented by recruiters if job search firms explored how certain extra experiences might improve their view about a ‘skills gap’ better, let’s draw attention to “us.”
Specifically, more in line with what candidates see as strengths regarding listings, when a recruiter doesn’t know about that factor at all.
A central point is that candidates should, and BETTER, make all extra efforts to keep themselves proactively involved in job search opportunities. I haven’t heard about any great improvement regarding the 8-Second Rule, the time an average resume gets attention.
Having reworked my LinkedIn profile the last few weeks, I *know* it strongly and specifically highlights my abilities and experiences MUCH better now. It includes about a dozen high quality blogs and content creation examples, and features a more personal 1-1 reading style versus, well, just an electronic resume for many.
I listened to a guy—Tyron Guiliani, an Aussie—on a couple podcasts, and signed up for an hour phone session with him, specifically about creating a more productive site.
FREE is ME! was part of that decision to listen to Tyron as a coach, as was sticking around for three minutes, when the next online session was starting.
While declining to go further with what he described as “high four-figures coaching help” at the end of a terrific sixty minutes phone session, clarifying my expertise with a smooth, conversational, Story of Me on LinkedIn was suitably engraved.
I point everybody at that profile—I’m proud of it being both a good read and accurate in conveying my background. Here I am.
Starting the clock on Success
New Year’s Eve afternoon, right before heading out for a little fire pit action and brewskies in Charlotte’s South End, I clicked Fast Apply to send that good profile for a Content Specialist position. The next day, Happy New Year! for real, there’s an e-mail from a Marketing person, about setting up a time to talk.
Next day, instead of talk, there’s another e-mail from company stating I wasn’t going to be considered going forward. Say what?
Old school still works
Early the next morning, I did some copy-paste of their site material and hand-edited it, pointing out perceived flaws. I wrote (IMHO) a fine cover letter with bullet points, and suggestions about certain things I’d circled. Putting those five pages in a manila envelope, I drove it across town, getting to the front doorbell just as the HR person was leaving for lunch.
It’s 12:15, I tell her what the contents are, and that I’m sort of not taking fugedabowdit for a final answer.
I’m asking you this seriously— Do you know what you’re worth when you sit in front of a person with the potential to determine your paycheck, yea or nay?
At 3:30 there’s an e-mail from the Director of Content—he’s impressed enough by my follow-up to give me an assignment for the weekend: 750-1000 words about a specific topic relating to the CBD industry. I nailed it with 900, plus numerous links.
Two minutes into a phone interview Wednesday, he says, “We don’t need to do this– are you available tomorrow?” and Thursday, after a period of exchanging views about career experiences to date (he’s a 2014 grad, I had better stories) we got to the money question.
Take it seriously – Yea or nay, Do you know what you’re worth? when you sit in front of a person with the potential to determine your paycheck? Most of my career, probably not, but research shows the average salary for Content Specialist job titles in Charlotte is $56k, still about 6% less than the national average.
I got a job offer that’s going to reflect an economic value for my professional skills, and the reality of a barely two year-old company. That company is about to catch major momentum as a result of Senate bill (S.2667, The Hemp Farming Act of 2018) getting passed before the impasse with Trump’s wall. The company is well-financed, its dead-red on my expectations, and my content creation arena is a decent challenge.
That benefits thing vs. gigging
Oh yeah, and that benefits thing. I’ve enjoyed a physical renaissance since knee replacement and rehab last December-March (God bless the ACA), but there’s no problem having healthcare paid for by an employer.
Straight up, getting the 100% okay on the anniversary check-up of that left knee Tuesday, how it has fared is just soooo damned reassuring. (Yeah, this was a LEFT knee, the grotesque, pre-replacement 2017 version.)
As a life-long athlete, the twelve years I was kind of a gimp has become ONE as a well-preserved sixty-one year old guy with a terrific, year-old knee. I’m immediately cooler, no more skipping across the street so I don’t get run over.
I’ve promised myself about joining a tennis league in 2020.
Fact: January 3rd I hand-delivered a letter to a company regarding a specific Content Creation situation I’d felt strongly enough to originally quick-click as a LinkedIn application just before New Years.
Fact 2: After some back-forth described in that letter, Diligence was rewarded on January 10th. From ground zero to within an acceptable background check of a greatly enhanced, much better compensated professional mission, results came directly from ACTIONS in doing the follow-up, right? Old school still works.
CDTalent Enterprises 