Why am I not getting a job?

Every time you pick up a paper or listen to the radio, there is invariably someone talking about the skills shortages in the job market at the moment. If you are in the process of job hunting, this commentary can be particularly galling, particularly if you are struggling to find a suitable next role.

Even if you have done all the obvious first steps, like ensuring your CV and LinkedIn profile positions you in the strongest and best light, targeting the right recruiters and making the most of your existing network of contacts, there are still many reasons why you haven’t found your perfect role yet.

The right skills

You may have even managed to secure an interview and feel that you performed well, yet still not received a job offer. However, the stark truth is that despite the media constantly talking about a shortage of skills, if the skills that are in short supply are not the ones you have or want to use, it may just mean that you are in a more competitive marketplace and the whole process can take longer than you want it to.

If that is where you are currently at, it is important that you don’t take these setbacks personally. You must remember you have not failed if the job hunt takes longer than expected. The right job is out there, but setting false deadlines for yourself can be counter-productive.

Develop a strategy

A more positive and effective approach is to develop a well-defined job search strategy. This needs to tick off the basics first, such as updating your CV and LinkedIn profile, and identifying the recruiters to contact. But then you need to treat this like you would a job. Plan in who you are going to contact, when and why. Set up calls and meetings with useful contacts and identify job opportunities to apply for. Don’t forget to take the time to identify what you want from your new job. It is important to be able to refer back to your ‘must-haves’ and ‘nice to haves’, when the time comes to review a job offer.

It is also important to track your activity so that you don’t miss out on any opportunity and return your applications in plenty of time. The reality is that this can all be hard work, in fact, it has often been said that job hunting is a full-time job in itself. But don’t give up. The satisfaction – and relief – of securing a new role that meets your requirements is worth all the hard work and patience to get there.

Purposeful hybrid working

As companies and employees settle into the new work rhythm, it is interesting to see how hybrid working has grown up.

Since the initial switch from office working to home working, where people adapted because they had to (just the small matter of a pandemic), there has been a period of time when many organisations have had to have their employees working from home. As restrictions eased, working from home became non-mandatory, so businesses then had potentially difficult choices to make with regards to where their employees were based.

Upsetting the equilibrium

Throughout the lockdowns, many employees had enjoyed the freedom of choosing their own working hours from their home offices. As restrictions eased some companies were reluctant to upset their teams by insisting on a return to the office. However, other businesses wanted to see a full return to the office as quickly as possible, with no regard for the impact this would have on their teams. While still other organisations introduced a more blended, hybrid approach, with perhaps a requested two or three days per week in the office.

Regardless of what companies decided on, if they did this without proper policies in place and without consulting their teams, they created all sorts of problems for themselves and their teams. In some instances, people were commuting into the office, only to find themselves on their own in an empty space.

Getting the balance right

As more time has passed, it feels like many companies are starting to get it right. Where it is appropriate for employees to work from home, there has become more of a ‘hybrid with purpose’. In other words, if you are in the office, it’s because you’re attending meetings or being with the rest of your team, rather than aimlessly wondering around a half-populated work environment.

This, of course, goes back to the importance of consulting with your team and understanding that everyone’s situations are different. Some people relish the freedom of home working or hybrid working, while there are others that want to be in the office full time. There may be many reasons why this is the case, and managers need to be aware of why people act as they do and ensure that the working environment remains as inclusive as possible.

Why use outplacement when there is a skills gap?

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There is a lot of conversation about a skills shortage across many sectors and job roles at the moment, which surely means that the power is currently in the hands of the job seeker rather than the recruiter. However, despite this, some employers are still sourcing out placement for individuals, even when the skills the individual has are very marketable, and there should be no issue in them securing a new role. This raises the question of why invest in outplacement services in the existing employment landscape?

Not ‘one size fits all’

Outplacement is not a linear process. There are many stages of outplacement, which will come in a different order for each individual depending on their personal circumstances. The main areas include identifying the options, preparing a CV, updating LinkedIn and putting a strategy in place, followed by interview training and check-ins. Outplacement can help an individual make sense of what needs doing, in what order, without it becoming overwhelming.

Turning the process upside down

Ensuring that a client is ready to get the next right job, can turn the linear process upside down. Some individuals will need to start with interview training rather than preparing a CV, if they end up with job interviews lined up, potentially even before their official leaving date. This can happen through word of mouth or if they have utilised their network effectively.

Making good decisions

Regardless of the order they approach their search for a new role, it can be a stressful time, and an outplacement Consultant can help make sure that the individual makes good decisions.  Whatever the outcome – and it’s great when a client gets the right job quickly – the individual still needs to take the time to record their achievements and substantiate them. In other words, make sure that their CV and LinkedIn profile is up to date.

Time to check-in

Securing a new role quickly has lots of benefits for the individual. Not only does it give them peace of mind and a clear direction, but it also provides the outplacement Consultant with the opportunity to check in with them during the first few months, to ensure that they are happy with their decision and help them assess if they need to try and change anything about their new role.  Outplacement is rarely wasted as a resource and continues to give good internal and external PR to the companies who commission it.

For further information, visit Career Evolution.

The problem with too much choice

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Believe it or not, having more than one job offer on the table can be a very real cause of stress and anxiety. The pressure of having to choose and not knowing if you have made the best decision for your future career and happiness can be a little overwhelming. Obviously, I hesitate to say this to new outplacement clients, as at the time of redundancy, having choice about your next career move sounds like utopia.

Make a list

One of the things I do with new outplacement clients quite early on, is work with them to identify what is important to them in their next role.  The checklist covers all sorts of things, from type of role, sector, company size, possibility of progression, culture, working away from home, international travel and hybrid working. That’s before we have even started to consider salary and benefits. I also get them to think about their answers, and which of these are non-negotiable, and which are really only ‘nice to haves’.  This checklist is important initially to help them work out what they want to apply for, but actually, at the point of receiving a job offer – or even multiple job offers – this list really comes into its own.

Jobs are like buses?

Just like the saying about waiting for a bus, and two come at once, it is very likely the same thing could be said for job offers. It isn’t that surprising, as a client will have been following up on more than one opportunity at a time, so there is a fairly good chance that more than one offer will come through. What is difficult, is then balancing a definite offer, but maybe one that has some downsides, with one that is yet to be made. This is where the benefits of the checklist become apparent.

By revisiting and working through the checklist, my clients can then work out if the opportunity that is on the table meets all the non-negotiables on their list. If it doesn’t, they might decide to hold their nerve and see if something better comes along.

Seek advice

The benefit of working with an outplacement Consultant, is that you have someone experienced to talk it through with. The decision is ultimately yours, but your outplacement Consultant will  help you structure your thoughts and identify the pros and cons of each role. They can also advise you on how to speak to recruiters or the companies themselves, to ensure you keep your integrity and professional brand.

For further information, visit Career Evolution

Welcome to our new vlog!

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Welcome to the latest vlog from Career Evolution!

We are continuing to share weekly advice and updates from the industry on outplacement, career management, and coaching.

In our latest vlog, our director, Sue Thomas, talks about her hybrid holiday and how she makes it work for her and her clients.

Watch the video below: