Pulse Survey
A pulse survey was conducted by JustStaff to explore how people go about finding jobs in today's market. The study sample included 48 respondents over a period of two months (March to May 2013) who had found jobs in the previous twelve months.
- Look for a job in the same or similar industry as your previous job,
- Look for a job in the same or similar functional area as your previous job,
- Be active (freelancing, volunteering, developing skills) while you are looking,
- Network (people, social media, groups).
According to Anne Angelopoulos, Sr. Manager of JustStaff, "I am not surprised with the results of our study. The formula for getting a new job has not changed. Networking has always been the primary way that people find jobs and that continues to be true. Networking today has expanded to include face-to-face networking, social media tools such as LinkedIn and other on-line platforms. In addition, the fastest path to secure a job also has not changed. Individuals need to focus on the same or similar industry as their last job and the same functional area. Many individuals get off track because they try to switch careers when they are laid off and that is very hard to do. Finally, it is easier to be hired when you are working. If you don't have a job, then you need to be active either by volunteering, freelancing or improving your skills. The employer does not want to see a gap in your activity."
- Eighty five percent (85%) of respondents stated their new job is in the same or similar functional areas as their old job. Functional areas refer to corporate departments such as Marketing, Sales, Information Technology, HR, etc.
- Seventy percent (70%) stated their new job was in the same or similar industry as their previous job. Industry means retail, technology, manufacturing, etc.
- Seventy six percent (76%) of respondents noted they were working in some capacity (full or part time) when they secured their new job.
- Sixty one percent (61%) of respondents stated they were actively looking when they secured the new job.
- Fifty percent (50%) of the respondents stated they achieved their new job through networking, followed by refreshing their resume (13%), developing a personal brand (9%) and being persistent (9%).
- Fifty nine percent (59%) recommended networking as a key activity they would advise for other job hunters, followed by refreshing your resume (15%) and creating relationships with social media recruiters (9%).
- Using job boards (26%)
- Resume blasting (23%)
- Not being prepared for interviews (12%)
- Using a generic resume for all job applications (9%)
- Insincere networking (7%)
- Not hearing back from the employer (57%)
- Long interview process time (17%)
- Rejection (11%)
Although job hunting tools have changed, the process is still the same. A copy of the survey will be posted on www.traceywilen.com and www.juststaff.com.
Dr. Tracey Wilen-Daugenti is a leading thought leader on career development. She is the author of ten books, a regular media contributor, and global speaker. She is a key advisor for recruiting and outplacement firms. Her most recent book is Women Lead: Career Perspectives from Workplace Leaders. Tracey is a visiting scholar at Stanford University Media X program, researching the impact of technology on future careers. Find Tracey on Twitter and Facebook.