<\/p>\n
So, you\u2019ve developed a great resume, you\u2019re finding and applying for \u201cgood fit\u201d positions online, and you are networking. You\u2019ve connected with some recruiters that specialize in your area of expertise. Your LinkedIn profile is 100% complete. So, why are you not receiving multiple responses? What is going on? The last time you looked for a new position, things may have developed rather quickly and did not take much effort. \u00a0Now you are exerting more effort and it doesn\u2019t seem to be paying off. It\u2019s easy to take this personally and begin to worry that no one will ever hire you.<\/p>\n
The good news is this is not about you and anything you\u2019re doing wrong. You are experiencing a common phenomenon in this job market that I call the \u201churry up and wait\u201d phase. About 85% of candidates experience an unexpectedly extended period of time between applying or networking for a position and actually hearing back from someone. \u00a0This might last several weeks to a month or more. \u00a0Even those who have been interviewed and told they will hear something back in a week or so begin to despair when their wait stretches out for weeks.<\/p>\n
The culprit is this particular job market. It is very different even from that of just a year ago. True, there are more positions to apply for than there were, but the competition for those positions is still very fierce. It is a buyer\u2019s market, and employers and recruiters are busier than ever screening resumes and narrowing down the field to a short list of candidates. Many hiring managers are doing the work of their own positions and, at the same time, the ones for which they are hiring. Employers are being very cautious about hiring. They are taking their time to search and interview carefully so that they hire the perfect candidate.<\/p>\n
Employers do need to hire, and many of them need to do it quickly, but it can be difficult and time consuming to coordinate a group of interviewers to be in one place at one time. \u00a0Once they have finished interviewing, it is just as difficult to get everyone\u2019s feedback and a consensus around whom to bring in for a second interview and who should receive the offer. Employers are screening more carefully, sometimes requiring applicants to take assessments or skills tests before an interview. Recruiters are inundated with hundreds of resumes from job seekers, and will not spend their time working with someone unless he or she is the best match available for the position.<\/p>\n
You have an advantage that will set you apart from other candidates competing in this market. \u00a0You have access to cutting edge information and resources that most other job seekers do not. Taking advantage of the best practices available to you, along with being persistent, networking, and following up, will be the keys to your success in this new job market. These efforts will differentiate you from the competition and raise you to the top of the interview list. Patience is the key, so hurry up\u2026but wait!<\/p>\n
Think of yourself as a gardener. You have put in all the effort it takes to till the soil by assessing your strengths and developing a great resume, as well as 30- and 90-second commercials, cover letters, a network of contacts, and a strong LinkedIn profile. You have planted the seeds by applying online, networking for information and referrals, working with recruiters, following up on networking leads, and finding contacts.<\/p>\n
Even so, you will probably experience an unexpected time lag between all of these efforts and harvesting the final fruits of your planting. \u00a0This hurry up and wait period is best viewed as just another step in the process. Understanding employers\u2019 and recruiters\u2019 circumstances when you are waiting can help you develop realistic expectations and tailor your professional and emotional responses.<\/p>\n
Use this period to stay engaged in the process. Continue to apply and network in order to keep your pipeline full. It\u2019s possible that you\u2019ll eventually find yourself in the enviable position of having more than one offer to choose from. This period actually gives you the opportunity to fully explore the market and choose the opportunity that represents the very best fit for your next career move.<\/p>\n
So yes, hurry up, but also wait and remain engaged in the process. You will work harder to find your next position, but you will be much more likely to find the right position \u2013 the one that truly fulfills you and gives you the opportunity to use your strengths where they will be needed and appreciated. \u00a0The harvest is worth your time.<\/p>\n