I spoke to a candidate today, whose job search strategy was “the same thing I did 7 years ago”. When I asked why he felt what worked 7 years ago would work well today, he listed these reasons:
- It’s what has always worked for him
- A CEO complimented him on his good resume
- Of his friends, he was considered the expert in how to search for a job
This illustrates an interesting phenomena…while many job seekers realize the job market has dramatically changed, most still won’t change their strategies. This unfortunate fellow fought change, tooth and nail, even after discussing how much the job market has changed and how much more competitive it is, especially in his field, Pharmaceuticals.
A rational person would react to a changed environment with changed strategies and tactics to match the new market realities. This individual was well educated, intelligent, and had a couple dozen patents…in scientific knowledge, he was in the stratosphere. Yet, his resume was terrible (unclear goals, didn’t differentiate, didn’t give reason he should be hired, poorly structured, didn’t demonstrate subject matter expertise, didn’t demonstrate value he provided to past employers…and I could keep going on).
So how can candidates break free from the vicious cycle of fear of change? Read the entire article at: http://recareered.blogspot.com/2009/11/step-out-of-your-comfort-zone.html