Deep breaths... The job search will take time
Since launching this newsletter, I’ve sent out detailed tips for conducting informational interviews, where to look for jobs, filling out your LinkedIn profile, and more.
Now, I want to zoom out a little. Between all the daily or weekly goals of meetings held, LinkedIn connections made, applications sent, etc., it’s important to have a longer-term sense of the search as a whole, and to be clear-eyed about how much time it may take.
Here’s my advice for how to set reasonable expectations for your job search:
The job search will take longer than you want it to -- especially during the pandemic. In normal times, three months is a fast search. During COVID-19, a fast search has been more like four to five months. There are many factors that contribute to this. Because the trend in hiring right now is building strong candidate pipelines (e.g. I tell my clients I will find them four qualified candidates before the final round), everything gets drawn out. Also, senior leadership often need to be brought into the final hiring decision, and they’re more likely to have kids at home and a harder time scheduling.
Set goals for yourself that you can control. Don’t prioritize setting goals around getting an offer, or even how many jobs you apply to. It’s about how many people you meet with each week and building out your network.
Spend time on your story. This means both developing and practicing (out loud) your answer to the “tell me about yourself” interview question, as well as making sure your LinkedIn profile and resume are aligned in sharing your accomplishments.
Always be thinking about your next move. Knowing that the job search takes time, put most of your energy into building your network. A lot of my current clients are people who didn’t hire me for a job, but who I got to know while job searching and who I kept in touch. Thinking about it another way, if you’re on the fence about applying to a job, do it anyway and look at it as an opportunity to build connections. Remember: you’re not just setting yourself up for your current search, but also future searches.
Here are the top three jobs we’re featuring this week:
Co-Executive Director at Main Street Alliance; Salary; Washington, DC (Remote possible).
Superintendent of Schools at Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School; Starting at $125,000; Brooklyn, NY.
Senior Front End Engineer at Only One; Starting at $125,000; Remote.
And now, onto housekeeping!
We recently launched a pilot job coaching program. If that sounds interesting, check out the options on our website and get in touch with us.
And as always, if you find this newsletter helpful, forward it to your friends and help us build our network! Additionally, if you have feedback or an idea for a future newsletter topic, let us know.
Naomi