I am sure some famous person would have said, there are no shortcuts. Hard work and dedication is required to achieve success in anything that we do. Finding a good job is no different.  It requires patience, hard work, research, networking and all the right ingredients to assist in getting that right job.

On the weekend, I was having an interesting conversation with one of my friends and while talking to him, realized that the searching of job can be related to a sales funnel used for the sales. Wearing my digital marketing hat, I started thinking on these lines and came up with a simple model, that would help people structure their job search. Here is the model:

There are three important steps before one can achieve success.

1. Application to jobs
2. Calls received for job interviews
3. Number of job offers received

Let us look at these steps in detail and how one can ensure success with each step.

The first step about application of jobs refers to the question, how many jobs should I apply for. It really depends on primarily the role that you are applying for. If you are applying for a unique role, where you are one of the few, then a few applications should suffice. Imagine, applying for a generic role like Business Analyst or Project Manager or Developer. There are so many opportunities and so many applicants. There is no specific number that one should adhere to. If you ask me, I would apply for at least about 1000 jobs to keep my chances of getting enough calls. But let us look at this number closely and divide it into 2 parts:

• Direct applications

Refers to applications made on job portals and company websites. This number tends to be very high but leads to less calls.

• Applications through references

Refers to applications made via references. These numbers tend to be low but leads to more calls.

So, it really depends on the amount of time one is spending on identifying the right places and people to whom the application should be sent. All comes down to research. Questions to be answered are had you done research on the jobs out there? Have you done research on the keywords used by job descriptions? Have you done enough research on the kind of people that you should network with? The answers to these questions will help you in creating your resume and also to be able to put the time in the right networks.

Getting called for the interview

While a thorough research will help you in your applications, a professional resume will help you in getting enough interviews. By resumes, let us consider all things resume like, which includes your CV, the cover letter, your LinkedIn profile and even the reference that you would have got through the network. It is important to capture all the key responsibilities that you would have delivered during your jobs, but it is very important to create your resume from the perspective of who is going to read it?

Think of yourself as a product and consider your resume as a product brochure. Have you come across a product brochure? What does it say? You would have noticed that a good product brochure, will cater to the need of the customers. What can the product deliver and how will it be useful to the customer? Now, put this analogy to your resume. The key is to write it, in the context of who is going to read it and what kind of details would they seek? If you are applying for a technical job and a technical lead may end up reading your profile, what kind of things he or she would like to see and if you are applying for a managerial job, what would your possible reporting manager like to read. Position your resume as per your reporting manager.

Writing your resume like this (also ensuring the look and feel is appealing as per your customer), would increase the chances of you getting more interview calls. It is all about saleability.

Interview and culture

Now, that the interview call is received, it is time to prepare for the interview. Start researching about the company, the industry, be aware of the news related to the industry and the company in particular. Thoroughly go through the job description as many times as possible. Research some common behavioral questions on Google and go through them quite a few times. The best thing one can do is to write down the questions and answers so you are prepared for the interview. Remember, if you have been invited for the interview, already there is a match of the skills to the job to an extent. The interviewer would like to know more about your personal traits, communication skills, a bit more technical skills (if it is a technical job) but overall your ability to fit in the organization culture.

There are many websites which are out there, detailing the employee reviews of an employer (example, glassdoor), which will give you insight into the employer culture. Be aware of it. Also, if you are applying for a job in a new country, it is important to understand the behavioral aspects of that particular country. For example, in Australia, if you do not understand the roles and responsibilities from the job description, it is okay to ask up front in the interview so you can better relate your experience to the requirements in your answers. All the effort that one puts in networking and understanding the local culture leads to the confidence that one shows during the interview in a new country. Remember, it is a two-way street. They are trying to fill a position and you have the skills and business can only be done between equals. You are no less and you are no more.

I hope this gives enough information and a process to help you find a job. If you are in Sydney and interested in knowing more such things, I welcome you to join my meet up https://www.meetup.com/preview/Finding-a-Job-in-Australia

I welcome your comments and suggestions to improvise the process. Until next time!