Expect Silence – As mentioned in previous blogs advances in technology and the popularity of downsizing has caused the volume of applicants for each job posting to far outnumber the recruiter’s ability to personalize every applicant’s experience. The more popular or common the job opening the more likely it is to receive hundreds of applicants. In these cases it is almost impossible and probably somewhat inefficient for the recruiter to go through and contact every single applicant. Instead they often choose a group of resumes, perhaps up to 5-10 out of approximately 150, to pursue based on experience, salary history, education, geographic location and industry to name just a few categories that may be considered. Of course this practice almost guarantees that some good talent is overlooked. Additionally the way many applicant tracking systems (ATS) format their resume databases is that the most recent resumes are listed at the top of the page and those who applied when the position was first posted may show up at the bottom of the last page. So don’t be offended if you submit your resume to what seems to be the perfect job for you and never hear from the company.
Expect Delays – I often coach job seekers on the importance of patience during their job search. This is because I know that often a hiring manager will give a recruiter a “top priority” job opening to work on, quickly proceed through the interview process, find the absolute best superstar candidate then take several weeks or months before extending an offer. One reason could be that the fiscal year is coming to an end and now the manager must wait to see which of his positions have been approved. It could be that the company is now getting prepared to be acquired by another company so all the resources and energy are now focused on that task. It could be that all of the sudden, at the last minute, an internal employee has expressed interest therefore the manager decided to give that person a chance and wants to keep the external superstar candidate on hold in case the internal person does not work out. Or it could be that the salary in the offer must go through several layers of bureaucratic approval. Of course it could also be that the job seeker is not as perfect a match as they thought they were. Either way job seekers should not be surprised if there are delays between their final interview and the official decision.
Expect Negotiation – Although job seekers may have made their desired salary range absolutely clear during the very first phone interview and on the application they should not be surprised if the initial offer is at least a little lower than expected. Oftentimes managers expect job seekers to try to negotiate the salary or perks even if the initial offer is great. Therefore the initial offer MAY be intentionally lower to leave room for negotiation. The key to overcoming this challenge is to use advice from Kenny Rogers and “know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run”.
Expect Discrepancies – Job descriptions are ever-changing. Oftentimes the person who writes the job descriptions is not the same person who performs the job on a daily basis. This can lead to minor and sometimes major discrepancies between the written responsibilities and the actual responsibilities. Additionally some employees display an ability to handle more than the initial job entails causing this position to inherit tasks from other roles. Job seekers sometimes get concerned when they notice that the job they interviewed for is not the exact same as the job they are now expected to do. Embrace the new challenges of this role because it could make you more versatile and employable compared to others who are only capable of doing the standard tasks. Use the fact that you are a new hire to your advantage by asking for training on the additional tasks. Managers are always more patient with new hires than they are with long time employees who can’t perform certain aspects of their job.
Expect Rejoice – Although it may seem unlikely now, there will be a point where you can rejoice in the fact that you finally secured a new and exciting job. Gather your office appropriate wardrobe, set your alarm clock, gather your pen and notepad and ready your mind for all the new information and challenges that you will soon receive. Prove to be the great employee and go-getter that you said you would be during the interview.
Coach Kenya 