Yesterday, I discussed the fact that standard hiring systems, by nature, create a lot of frustration for people seeking employment. Most people just endure this hardship, and eventually they do find a job. Others make an effort to sidestep the hiring system.
There are many techniques that some very smart people have developed on this topic. If you haven’t done so already, it may be helpful to look at some books on this topic, such as, "What Color is Your Parachute" or something similar.
The most common “sidestepping” techniques involve some sort of networking. People often hire people they know, or those who are known by others in their personal or professional network. I think of our own company — more than 50% of our employees and working partners were initially identified by someone’s personal connection to the company.
But, what if you’re not good at networking? You may not have a large number of contacts from which to draw, or you may have a personality that doesn’t make it easy for you to make connections. One way to solve this problem is to find, and then work short-term “gigs.”
If you’re not familiar with this term, it is traditionally used to describe a temporary job (usually one night) for a musical performer. But, it recently has taken on a more general meaning. There are now “gig sections” on many job boards, including Craigslist.
These short term jobs can be a great way to earn some money, but they can also help build your network and help you become known by others for your talents. Here are a couple examples from a recent article in the Seattle Times:
“When she didn't get tenure, English professor Diana Bloom used [Craigslist] to advertise herself as a tutor, editor and translator-for-hire. She's been able to make a living through the work the Website directs her way since 2002, while staying home with her young son. All that without ever having to pound the pavement. ‘I'm not very outgoing and getting my foot in the door to companies would have been hard,’ said Bloom, of New York."
“Boston musician Will Knox managed to parlay [a gig] into long-term employment. He found an internship on Craigslist as a Promotions and Marketing Manager for a country singer. They ended up playing together, and the singer introduced him to his first guitar students.”
Both of these are examples of individuals who started their own businesses after working gigs. However, there are plenty of cases where gigs have led to traditional jobs as well. The underlying principle is that opportunities seem to surface when you’re around other people. It may be that it is easier to demonstrate your talents in real life rather than depend solely on your resume to do the job.
This is just one of many ideas that could be used to proactively increase your chances of finding employment. Taking matters into your own hands by trying something different may shorten your job search and lessen your frustration. One thing is certain, bemoaning the fact that companies mismanage the hiring process is not going to help you get a job.
