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Vault Message Board: Job Search

Topic Name: What am I doing wrong?
Message Name: Okay...
Date Posted: 08/25/2005
In Reply To: Ouch! You've been searching for a year and only 1 interview? That's not fun! Here's the thing, searching open positions via company websites and popular job boards is the equivalent of searching with your eye to a straw not to mention, most of us close the other eye so we can focus clearly through that straw, right? So now you are looking through a narrow tube with one eye shut. That just can't be effective, can it? When you submit your resume, how is yours any different from all the other resumes pouring in the doors of these sites? What makes your resume stand out in the crowd? Is it a marketing document selling your expertise or a history report explaining the things you've done and the company you did those things for? Do you do any follow up at all or just send the resume and hope that will be enough to make the phone ring? If your phone isn't ringing...the resume isn't doing it's job -- which is generating interest in YOU. Let's face it, pretty much everyone does exactly what you are doing in your job search: waiting for an opportunity to appear on a website, then standing in an invisible line with hundreds of candidates applying for those same positions. And most wonder, just like you, "what am I doing wrong??" You've got to stop doing what everyone else is doing, separate yourself from your competition and start MARKETING your skills to decision makers in your target companies. You should be looking for opportunities outside of traditional methods. There are lots of ways to generate job leads beyond the confines of overcrowded, unproductive job boards. If you don't know what those are, how will this search ever come to an end? Andrea http://interviewing.com/
Message: As much as I appreciate your response, this seems more like a marketing speech than actual help. I hear what you're saying about following up, but that's kind of hard to do if you don't have a direct contact at the company. I have tried to make my resume as unique as possible with all the skills I have that I feel are valuable. I presume the website you listed will gladly help me for a price, but I might check it out anyway. I'm desparate at this point.

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