Tips to get past the "gatekeeper" when job hunting

[IT_Guy]

That's a good start, but you want to be sure how you position yourself with these network contacts. Are you establishing yourself as a "top of the game" in your chosen field?

At this point in my IT career I'm in a slump doing desktop support. But I keep smiling and do the utmost to resolve any technical issues to the best of my ability. I go above and beyond on a daily basis. I feel no matter what "job" you have, you will always have customers(or clients). Many technicians forget that aspect of the job. I can fix 100+ laptops a day, but if I treat the customers like dirt, that is all they will remember.

So the answer to your question is yes, I present myself in a manner that shows I am the best at what I do. The only issue is it's not where I want to be. I never let it show, but I think it daily. I don't want to be remembered as the exceptional "repair guy", so I give exceptional customer service and hope that is what sticks in their mind.

 

[Wes Bucey]

At this point in my IT career I'm in a slump doing desktop support. But I keep smiling and do the utmost to resolve any technical issues to the best of my ability. I go above and beyond on a daily basis. I feel no matter what "job" you have, you will always have customers(or clients). Many technicians forget that aspect of the job. I can fix 100+ laptops a day, but if I treat the customers like dirt, that is all they will remember.

So the answer to your question is yes, I present myself in a manner that shows I am the best at what I do. The only issue is it's not where I want to be. I never let it show, but I think it daily. I don't want to be remembered as the exceptional "repair guy", so I give exceptional customer service and hope that is what sticks in their mind.

So, it appears you need to determine how to inform them you are MORE than just the "tech guy," no matter how good. A frequent stumbling block folks run into is forgetting to make clear they have the capability and capacity to be more than just "another staff guy." It's a large part of why some folks are frustrated to find themselves "pigeonholed" by the bosses, never realizing they, themselves, are doing the pigeonholing.

 

[Wes Bucey]

So - it's been a long time since the first post in this thread. This week, the biggest employer in my county announced it was going to lay off ANOTHER 500 jobs. That means that there has not yet been a big improvement in the job outlook. Those of us still in the hunt may need these tips more than ever.

A Presidential election is coming up. Regardless of who is elected, some of us will STILL be out of work the next day. If you are in that number, your time might be better spent researching some new targets for your hunt instead of watching wall-to-wall coverage of the returns. (It may even be well to consider whether the winners in the major campaigns will affect the targets of your hunt in some way.)

thread bump. Also to remind folks the US Government publishes an online handbook about outlook for various occupations/job titles. It's worth a look:
https://www.bls.gov/oco/

 

[Wes Bucey]

So, here we are - another year down the road and folks still sit and mope when the HR department either rejects or simply doesn't reply to the carefully crafted resume the job hunter sent in along with hundreds of other cyber submissions. I have said for years that the successful job hunter needs to avoid those gatekeepers who can only say "No."

This week's installment of "Ask the Headhunter" addresses the issue of going around the Gatekeeper. Here's the (broken link removed)

Here's a telling excerpt (under "fair use" copyright laws):

Now, some of my HR friends will want to slap me for telling you this. After all, many HR representatives put a lot of work into interviews, and they expect their conclusions to be respected. I understand that. But no matter how good HR is at interviews, if you think you need to talk to the manager directly to make your case, it's your prerogative. You must take action; Get past the guard.

I've placed candidates whose resumes were buried in the HR department's files for months. After HR stamped the application "no," the hiring manager paid me tens of thousands of dollars to hire the candidate.

I've also had HR departments come running to me after the fact, claiming no headhunting fee was owed "because we already had the candidate's resume." Yes, but HR failed to interview and hire the candidate. Because I delivered the candidate and facilitated the hire, the hiring managers always thanked and paid me.

There are risks to doing this. HR will try to cut you off if it learns that you "went around," and depending on the hiring manager, HR might succeed. That's HR's job. So take it with good humor. You can be respectful and still be assertive. But don't walk blind on the job hunt because if you do, you'll run into every single HR obstacle.
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[Wes Bucey]

Here is a new installment of Ask the Headhunter. Obviously I like what he writes because it echoes what I've been writing here for ten years!
The Link to the entire article ((broken link removed))

The paragraph (FAIR USE) which really caught my attention as an affirmation of my continual ranting about researching a potential employer was this
"When a company uses a headhunter to fill a position, it expects a high level of due diligence to be performed on candidates the headhunter delivers. If this seems to be a bit much, consider that the fee the company pays a headhunter for all this due diligence can run upwards of $30,000 for a $100,000 position. Can you afford to do less when you're judging your next employer?"

 

[CandidQuality]

Just spent the past few hours going through this and a few other threads here, and have to say I do appreciate the advice. Found a blind posting earlier this week, and due to the certification and the location listed, was able to circumvent and contact the CEO directly. Right or wrong move still to be seen, but either way I felt it appropriate and at least know he now has my information to make a decision based on what I stated, not on what some recruiting firm chose to tell him. For me, It was right.
After being in Quality for more than 20 years now I've seen the candidates who make it past hr departments. Most of the issue (in my experience) is that HR simply does not comprehend what is really needed. I've also had the unfortunate experience of not having CEO's concerned with Quality (or safety for the matter), and unable to hire qualified applicant due to the salary needed, and having to make it work with less than desirable candidates. That company will soon go under due to that leadership, in spite of the time I spent trying to turn it around.

I've spent years perusing the board here, and really just wanted to stop in and say thank you. I may not always agree with your conclusions, but at least I can always clearly see where you are coming from. Since I'm currently in the job market again, this was a great refresher.