Use This 10X Job Search Strategy

Every once in a while, a picture comes along that shows a job search strategy story much better than telling it.

You’ve been told to network to find your next job. But have you heard that so many times you tune out when someone recommends it?

Talk is cheap, but has anyone ever shown you how powerful a job search strategy networking is? Probably not.

The Study

Lever, a recruitment marketing firm, conducted a 1-year source-of-hire efficiency study (more here).

The Results

Guess what? The companies in the study hired 1 of every 16 candidates referred to them.

Say Goodbye to the Black Hole

The companies hired one of every 152 candidates who applied to them. You know, through their applicant tracking systems (The Black Hole).

One out of 152 is a 0.66% chance of being hired.

That sucks. Why would you accept those odds? You’re better than that.

Think of It Like Flying

Referral = First Class

External Recruiter Submittal = Business Class

Internal Recruiter Sourced = Economy Plus

Applicant Tracking System = Basic Economy, Middle Seat, Last Row, Crying Baby

How do you want to travel during your job search?

Use This Job Search Strategy

Networking (i.e., being referred) gives you the best odds, a 6.5% chance of being hired.

Do that. It’s your best bet.

Don’t believe me? Look at the chart — cold, hard data.

Networking Ups Your Odds of Being Hired 10X

The companies hired referred candidates 9.5 times more often than applicants. You can round 9.5X up to 10X.

Why Does the Networking Job Search Strategy Work?

Because it helps you figure out your search with support from others.

You set up a virtuous loop of ideas, leads, introductions, feedback, and improvement.

And, if you get submitted through a company’s employee referral program, you often get to jump line.

Networking through your job search puts you in your own personal moonshot!

Networking Delivers

True, it’s full of rejection and failure, but you’ll also find diamonds.

You have to put yourself out there and know that not everyone will “get” you. Expect it. It’s not personal. It’s just the way it is.

You’ve heard about Thomas Edison’s failure rate on the light bulb, right? 1,000 attempts before he nailed it.

Elton John and Bernie Taupin have written over 1,000 songs. About 50 made it to the Top 40. That’s a 5% success rate — close to the 6.5% above. They’ve sold over 300 million albums.

What will you do?

Take Your Moonshot

Go ahead, take your moonshot.

Do you wonder how to start?

A recent study in the Harvard Business Review found former colleagues are the best sources of new jobs.

Another HBR report found moderately weak ties work best.

I suspect career level matters.

My executive clients have a lot of former colleagues. So, they do best there.

Many people, earlier in their careers, have small networks. They’ll find success with weak ties.

Assess the size of your network, then make some magic for yourself.

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Featured on CareerSherpa
Updated January 2023

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