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Employment-Related Article
Using Placement and Career Development Services to Improve Your Job Search Results Katy Piotrowski, M.Ed.
Bernard Haldane Associates
New and recent Ph.D.'s in mathematics seeking employment at academic institutions are having a rough time finding suitable positions. At some point, many will need to broaden their job search. Highly talented individuals can always find some kind of job, but many who have devoted themselves to research and academics may not know how to go about finding a satisfying and rewarding career outside academia. Some may find placement and career development services useful. This article was written by a "career advisor"; a paid professional job seekers can employ to develop effective job-searching strategies. The AMS and the AMS-MAA-SIAM Joint Committee on Employment Opportunities do not recommend or endorse any firm in the employment assistance area. -- Frank Demeyer, Chair, AMS-MAA-SIAM Joint Committee on Employment Opportunities, December, 1996.
Background I am a career advisor with Bernard Haldane Associates, the world's largest career advising and marketing organization. This is my second career. My first career, in the 1980's, was as a marketing manager in the high-tech industry. In 1990 I made the decision to change careers to career counseling, and obtained a Master's of Education degree in counseling and career development in 1993. To date, I have counselled close to 300 professionals from a range of backgrounds and professions on career change, job search, and career development. In addition to my work as a career advisor, I write a weekly career column for the local paper, the Fort Collins Coloradoan. Introduction In my business, there's one book that I consider to be my professional bible: Getting a Job, by Mark Granovetter, a Harvard professor of sociology. Getting a Job reports on a study of how people find positions, analyzed from many different angles. The report was first published in 1974, then revised and published as a second edition in 1995. When the study was first published, my employer analyzed the results and implemented a number of job search strategies designed to capitalize on the information the report revealed. After reviewing the second edition, I made some revisions to the job search approaches I recommend to make the best use of Ganovetter's new information. In my opinion (that of a non-Ph.D.) the book itself is a chore to read -- lots of confusing terminology and a whilwind of percentages. For that reason I wouldn't recommend it as a must-read for a job search effort. What I do recommend, however, is that you build on the overall results presented in the report when planning a job search. By designing a job search strategy around the results -- and at the same time making use of available job search and career development services -- you can greatly improve your chances for speedy and successful employment. Maximizing Job Search Effectiveness The bottom line: the data published in Getting a Job demonstrates that job searchers find positions through three primary channels: - Word of mouth (28 percent),
- Direct application (28 percent), and
- Posted positions (36 percent).
To develop a sound job search strategy, you'll want to incorporate activities from each area. Later in this article, I'll outline recommendations to accomplish this objective, but for starters, let me define the different methods: Word of mouth. Positions discovered through word of mouth are those jobs you hear about through friends, family, and acquaintances. This is also where the dreaded act of "networking" comes in, because unless you're talking to people about what you're looking for, it's unlikely that you'll hear back through word of mouth about opportunities that could be a good fit. Direct application. Direct application requires that you submit an application dirctely to a prospective employer prior to hearing of any available, or "posted", positions. The logic here is that if organizations have a choice, they will interview individuals from a known pool of candidates rather than advertise for applicants through traditional means, such as classified advertisements. The key to success in direct application is that you effectively identify organizations that could have a use for your skills. Word of mouth and researching the market are the most effective means to identify which employers to target through direct application. Posted positions. Posted positions are those jobs that have been clearly defined and are currently being advertised (or "posted") through various media: newspaper, the Internet, agencies, job lines, bulletin boards, placement agencies, etc. Traditionally, this is where most job seekers spend the bulk of their efforts--it's the most accepted job search route and least "scary" way of locating opportunities. The problem is, if you put all of your job search energy into posted positions, you'll limit your access to more than 60 percent of the available opportunities. Definitions behind us, let's focus on how you can make the best use of placement and career development services to construct an effective job search strategy encompassing activities from each of these three areas. To begin, we'll review characteristics of most popular job search services and how each relates to word of mouth, direct application, and posted position activities. To help me in this effort, I surveyed professionals from a range of career development and job search organizations to learn each service's strengths, as well as insider's tips on how to obtain the best results. This information is presented in the tables which follow this article. Depending on your career objectives and personal resources, some services will be a better fit for you than others. Planning a Balanced, Effective Search In the tables which follow this article, under a column marked "Service Provider" you will see the letter codes W, D, or P listed under each provider's name. These codes stand for: W:Word of mouth, D:Direct application, and P:Posted positions. Review the characteristics of each service, considering how you might be able to enhance your search effort by using various services. Having reviewed the characteristics of various service providers, analyze your own job search strategy and results. One method: List all the job search activities you've conducted over the last month and rate each activity as a W, D, or P, based on the definitions provided earlier. If you want to get truly analytical with this exercize, guesstimate the amount of time you've allocated to each activity as well. Finally, take all the information you've analyzed and determine where you're spending your job search efforts. Compare this against the recommended percentages reported in Getting a Job. Very quickly you'll be able to identify weak spots in your approach. The most common situation in an ineffective job search is where an individual spends most of his time on posted positions and very little in direct application or word-of-mouth activities. The greatest danger in this approach is that by applying only to posted positions, you're working in a vacuum. You receive very little feedback from prospective employers or industry/professional experts on where it makes the most sense to apply your skills. Example. Bob defined one of his position targets as a software engineer with a high-tech company. He spent more than 50 hourse preparing and submitting close to 25 applications to jobs he saw posted in industry publications. He received no calls for interviews and wasn't sure why. I recommended that he network with the manager of a local software engineering group to learn more about demand for his skills. Bob did, and leanred from the manager that he should be emphasizing different skills and terminology in his resume. The manager also suggested that Bob directly apply to two companies that were in a growth mode. When Bob began using his revised resume, and adding direct application activities to his search strategy, he receieved an average of one interview for every seven applications. Within three months he accepted a position with a company meeting his desired employment criteria. As is demonstrated in this example, valuable information about job opportunities can follow a domino effect, starting with relevant feedback from a word-of-mouth resource, leading to suggestions for direct application and posted position opportunities. Pulling It All Together If you haven't realized it already, job searching can be a tough, frustrating activity. The key is to be as effective and efficient as you can. If you identify a weakness in your current job search strategy, take steps immediately to create a better balance. If you're not sure how to go about implementing new activities, get help. This is not the time to drive around in circles without asking for diection! All the services described in this article can be viewed as potential resources to help you get where you want to be -- gainfully and happily employed.
| SERVICE PROVIDER | Description of Service | Individuals & Professionals Who Can Benefit | Information You Will Need to Provide |
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University Career Center: W, D, P
Information provided by Karen Black, Career Counselor with Colorado State University | Helps individuals explore various career options, develop skills in self marketing, provide resources for job opportunities, connections to school alumni | Enrolled students, alumni, employers (for prospective candidates). Community members may use library resources and job hotlines. | Be prepared to discuss the purpose of your visit. You and a career center advisor will discuss steps necessary to reach a desired goal. | Career Advising/ Marketing Service: W, D, P
Information provided by Katy Piotrowski, Career Advisor with Bernard Haldane Associates
| Job search "personal trainer" provided skills assessment, objective and resume development, research, interview coaching/videotaping, networking instruction/contacts, document preparation, job search management, salary negotiation skills, ongoing career development. | Degreed individuals in all professions | Resume. Ability to articulate goals, if known. | Technical Contract Agencies: P
Information provided by Volt Technical Services | Places individuals in both contract and permanent employment for computer, engineering, and technical placements. | Computer professionals, Engineers, Technicians, some Accounting and Purchasing. | A resume that details key skills such as known computer software packages, equipment, company names, potential job titles. References. | Job Fairs: D, P
Information provided by Harry Callahan, National Account Executive with The Career Group | Forum for Potential employers and employees to meet. Usually held a few times a year at local convention centers, association meetings, or educational institutions. | Sales, Management, Technical, Engineering, Retailing, and many entry level positions. | Resume, preferably one page | Recruiters: D, P
Information obtained from "1996 Guide to Executive Recruiters" by Michael Betrus. | Service linking job seekers to available opportunities in their field. | Primarily degreed professional in high demand occupations | Resume detailing objective, key skill areas, education, experience | W: Word of mouth D: Direct Application P: Posted Positions
| SERVICE PROVIDER | Information to Emphasize | How to Locate Service Suppliers | How to Initiate Contact | Fees, Conditions, Contracts |
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University Career Center: W, D, P
Information provided by Karen Black, Career Counselor with Colorado State University | "Hard" (technical) and "soft" (people) skills relevant to desired position. If career direction is not clear, be prepared to discuss values, skills, and interests | Contact educational institution you attended, or your nearest local university or college. Check under Yellow Pages for "Schools" | Contact office by phone or fax and you will be directed to appropriate resources
| No fees for current, enrolled students. Most career centers have no fees for up to a year beyond graduation. Other fees vary based on student status and services provided | Career Advising/ Marketing Service: W, D, P
Information provided by Katy Piotrowski, Career Advisor with Bernard Haldane Associates
| Not applicable. Client works with career advisor to determine which information is best emphasized to potential employers | Yellow Pages under Career Counseling | Send resume and cover letter via fax, mail, or email (if available). Follow up with phone call to set an initial, no-fee assessment interview. | All-inclusive contract fees of $2000-$5000+, depending on location and service provided. Many contracts include up to three years of career development assistance following acceptance of initial career position. | Technical Contract Agencies: P
Information provided by Volt Technical Services | Key words such as computer software packages, equipment, company names, potential job titles on resume. References. | Employment, Job Services, Contract Employment in the Yellow Pages; industry trade journals; job boards on the Internet. | Send resume and cover letter. Follow up and create a relationship with a recruiter or staffing specialist with knowledge of several different area companies | No fees. Contracts for employment are at will, meaning that either party can end an assignment at any time. | Job Fairs: D, P
Information provided by Harry Callahan, National Account Executive with The Career Group | Key skill areas, possible job titles
| Upcoming job fairs are usually advertised in the classified advertising section of newspapers. May also be listed on the Internet, bulletin boards, through mailings, etc. | Bring a supply of one-page resumes with you to job fair. Review any openings that may be listed at the employer's display. Talk with company representatives briefly to determine other employee needs. | Job fairs rarely charge a fee to attendants--if there is a fee, it will be nominal. Sometimes fees are charged for distributing your resume to companies. | Recruiters: D, P
Information obtained from "1996 Guide to Executive Recruiters" by Michael Betrus. | Key skill areas, previous employers, possible job titles. | For occupation-specific recruiters, review classified advertisements in professional and industry journals; also check with professional associations for recommendations. Local recruiters may be listed in the Yellow Pages under Employment, Recruiters, Job Services. | Phone the agency first and obtain the name of the recruiter best qualified to assist your search. Develop rapport with the recruiter and notify him that your resume will be sent to his attention in the next few days. | Usually paid by the employer. Based on a percentage of your first year's salary. | | SERVICE PROVIDER | Top Providers in Industry | Smart Shopper Tips | Smart User Tips |
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University Career Center: W. D. P.
Information provided by Karen Black, Career Counselor with Colorado State University | Local universities, colleges, community colleges, government job service agencies | Review services offered, cost of total package, any contract details. Consider short and long range value. | Be open and flexible in your search. Accept responsibility for conducting the search yourself with the career center's assistance. Feel comfortable asking questions. Stretch beyond your usual boundaries. | Career Advising/ Marketing Service: W, D, P
Information provided by Katy Piotrowski, Career Advisor with Bernard Haldane Associates | Bernard Haldane Associates, Princeton Masters, Dunn & Nelson | Call the Better Business Bureau to check on unresolved complaints. Review testimonial letters and a list of current positions, salaries attained by clients. Read contract carefully and modify any conditions that are unacceptable to you. Sign up for a payment plan, rather than full fees up front. | Just like working with a personal trainer for exercise, unless you follow the recommended program, your results may be disappointing. Meet with your advisor often throughout your job search. If you're dissatisfied with your progress, speak up. If necessary, request a change in advisor or changes in the delivery of service provided to you. | Technical Contract Agencies: P
Information provided by Doug McBride, Volt Technical Services | Volt Services Group, CDI, AeroTech, NSR | Find out which companies do business with the contract firm, including national and local contracts. | Never trust a recruiter who tells you not to go see other firms. Contact your staffing specialist at least once a week to discuss ideas and opportunities. | Job Fairs: D, P
Information provided by Harry Callahan, National Account Executive with The Career Group | The Career Group, West Tech, Jobs America
| Nothing at risk, except time expended | Be fully prepared and properly dressed. Talk to many and varied companies seeking employees. | Recruiters: D, P
Information obtained from "1996 Guide to Executive Recruiters" by Michael Betrus. | Numerous, depending on location and profession | No suggestions provided | When contacting recruiters, don't be pushy--make the recruiter like you. Have a script prepared outlining your skills, goals, background. | W: Word of mouth D: Direct application P: Posted Positions
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