Question

Until recently, I have enjoyed a fifteen year career in the IT field. Due to budget cutbacks, I was laid off along with fifty other staff members. I was recruited right out of college and have never had to look for a job until now. I have already applied to many jobs on internet job boards but I have gotten very few responses, which is frustrating.

I spend most of my job search time applying to jobs online and I rarely receive a call for an interview.    I feel discouraged, what am I doing wrong?

Answer

Did you know that over 80% of jobs are filled through networking? This is how I would recommend spending the bulk of your time. This means attending professional association meetings, Meet up groups, informational interviews and job leads clubs. Get the word out that you are looking for a new opportunity.

Networking is effective because employers would rather hire a referral than go through the hassle of posting the job online and sifting through hundreds of resumes. So keep applying to jobs online and using social media but spend a smaller percentage of your time at home on your computer. I think you will be much happier with the results you get through face-to-face meetings.  Finally, if you do find a job online, use “Linked-In” to find contacts within your targeted company.