“I don’t understand…my resume writer must not have done something right.” Does this sound like you?
As resume writers, we hear this A LOT. Mostly we hear this complaint from new clients who have previously worked with a different resume writing company…but sometimes we hear it from past clients. Our past clients will be over the moon excited about their brand-spanking-new resume, sending emails of praise and appreciation (even a 5-star review on TrustPilot). And then a few months later we will get an email saying, “My resume isn’t working. I haven’t gotten any interviews.”
The Job Sauce intentionally has a post-resume upgrade call designed as part of the package for this very reason.
The biggest misconception amongst job seekers is that their resume alone – albeit well-written, results-driven, and ATS optimized – is sufficient to land them interviews and ultimately a job.
The Reality
I would love it if this were the case. But the reality is that it is not. Sorry.
You’ve probably heard this from us before but we are going to say it again – for every open position, there are anywhere from 250 to over 1,000 candidates applying for the same position. The statistics dramatically decrease when it comes to selecting candidates to be interviewed. So again, sending your resume alone is not sufficient.
We know you are a unique snowflake and have so much to offer. Really – we understand and appreciate that.
However, if you want to get your foot in the door to show these companies just how special you are and what you can offer them…you must, must, must find additional ways to get their attention. Period.
Proven Strategies
Ya know how when you are trying to lose weight and you are looking for some secret, magical answer?
Nobody ever wants to hear what we all already know: exercise more and eat healthy food. No one ever wants to hear that. We think, “It can’t be that simple!” Landing your dream job is not as complicated as you might be making it, i.e. you have to leverage your network. You have to be talking to your friends, family members, and associates about what you are looking for. You have to ask for help, like an introduction to someone for example.
Time and again, whenever a past resume client comes back to us months after their resume was completed saying they haven’t gotten any interviews – we tell them exactly what we are saying here.
But I’m Not Good At This
You might have been attempting to “leverage your network,” and that hasn’t been effective. No problem.
Consider you need a coach. Whether it is someone at The Job Sauce or another trusted career coach or your best friend, you have to have someone (other than you) that you are being accountable to each week. It is important to have someone to debrief your conversations with – and. it is important that the person you talk to actually has some track record in this. If I was looking to be in a relationship, I wouldn’t go get coaching from my friend who has been tragically single for the last seven years. Instead, I’d talk to my friend who has dated a lot and is now happily married because my married friend has some credibility on this topic.
My point is you don’t have to be amazing at starting conversations with people. But given this is required a lot of the time to get your foot in the door, it is incumbent upon you to get yourself developed in how to do this effectively – and fast!
Multiple Pathways
Once upon a time, someone said to me, “Ya know…there are many different ways to get from LA to New York. You could drive, you could walk, you could take the bus, you could ride your bike, etc.” Generating interviews and getting hired at the salary you want is very much the same. You’ve got to be responsible for getting yourself educated, trained, and supported in all of it.
Companies like The Job Sauce offer an array of resources and services to support you. It is up to you whether or not you utilize them. It took me a while to learn but when it comes to my career and my income, I am no longer interested in dragging things out and suffering along the way. I – like you – want results now.
