Executive Director, Future Think, Penny Carballo-Smith
Many of us are busily learning everything we can about technology, and making the most of the wonderful FREE and low cost online learning resources out there (some favourites include Tech City UK’s Digital Business Academy, Google Digital Garage, Coursera and Udemy.)
And this is necessary.
But the truly tech savvy amongst us have a keen sense of when technology works for us, and when it works against us. And when it is best avoided altogether.
Take the tech savvy job seeker for example – what we all hope to be.
He may use the Internet to gather information about industry sectors and potential employers. But he knows that it is easy to spend weeks or even months sitting in front a computer applying for jobs online, with little or no response.
Careers expert Corrine Mills, in her best selling book “You are hired: How to Write A Brilliant CV sheds light on this phenomenon. She explains that online job applications may face stiff competition from hundreds, if not thousands of applicants. This of course lowers your chances of success.
Most of these applications may never be seen by human eyes. Employers often use specialist software to sift through and shortlist CVs that feature specific keywords. CVs that do not include these keywords are discarded. And tailoring individual CVs to navigate them through this software can be hard work indeed.
© Penny Carballo-Smith, April 2018.
Also, unfortunately, there are recruitment agencies out there advertising non-existent jobs, just to boost their candidate database. So it can be difficult to ascertain just how genuine and current some jobs advertised online truly are.
So what does our tech savvy job seeker do? He gets creative. He may use Linkedin to bypass specialist software and recruitment agencies altogether, and get his CV directly in front of the hiring managers of the companies he wants to work for. Moreover, through Linkedin, he would try to access the abundance of opportunities in the “hidden job market”, i.e., the 70% of all job vacancies which, according to careers experts, are never advertised. (See great guidance on Linkedin for job seekers here https://bit.ly/2fAFB1Q )
Crucially, there is one thing our tech savvy job seeker understands very well: technology has its limits. Having a network of healthy personal relationships, both social and professional, matters enormously, and is perhaps the job seeker’s greatest asset, especially as he tries to access the unadvertised vacancies in the hidden jobs market. As Corrine Mills’ advises:
“No-one will give you a job just because they know you, but they will tell you about potential opportunities or people you could contact. Be clear about the role/organization you are looking for and ask anyone and everyone you know if they have got any advice for you or ideas on who you should contact.
This age old approach to job hunting is still, according to Corrine Mills, “a highly successful method of job search”..
Amanda Alexander is a TV Media Journalist, Founder & Managing Director of ‘Amanda Alexander Productions’. A Christian company committed to writing and producing Christian content.
She’s also the Founder and Director of Female Dignity, an organisation dedicated to providing machinery to girls and women in developing countries to make feminine products utilising the raw materials in their town/country.
As well as being an ordained Pastor and Minister of the gospel Amanda runs her ministry ‘Warrior Women’ which empowers ladies to live and walk in the ‘Fear of the Lord’. She also serves on the leadership team of New Life Church and as a ministry coordinator for Patrick’s Mission.
A Christian for over 25 years Amanda loves people and is adventurous. To contact Amanda please visit her website www.femaledignity.co.uk [email protected] or 07494444064.
