Today’s job seekers maximize their networks on LinkedIn, contact their colleagues on social media, and send their resumes in hopes of landing a job. But they’re going about it all wrong. In this new book, Lose the Resume, Land the Job, job seekers are told to look inward first. Know thyself; then let your curiosity and thirst for knowledge guide you.
Job seekers are advised not to rely too heavily on their resumes: Burnison advised, “People mistakenly think that polishing the resume accounts for 90% of getting the next job or promotion, when it’s only 10%. Building relationships and telling your story are far more impactful.”
Clearly defined steps that will help people move beyond the resume and successfully advance careers are laid out:
- Know yourself—the first step that makes the big difference
Long before job seekers look ‘out there’ for a job, they need to look inward—at who they are and what they have to offer. The book includes assessments and practical tips to help people really understand what the right role would be.
- Showcase your ‘ACT’
During each part of the job seeking process and throughout their career, people need to understand how they ACT—an acronym that means being authentic, creating a connection, and giving bosses and colleagues a taste of who they are, what they do and the contributions they can make.
- Target your next opportunity
A job search without targeting will result in a myriad of dead-ends because the fit-factor simply isn’t there. More alarming still, job seekers could land a job or promotion for which they aren’t really suited or that isn’t a good culture fit for them. Readers are advised to think of job targeting as if it were a marketing plan.
- Network like it’s a contact sport
In truth networking is not about you—it’s the opposite. Networking is about relationship-building, and relationships are two-way streets. The best approach is to make networking a natural part of ongoing interactions with people, by focusing first on how you can help them.
Gary Burnison is CEO of international executive search and recruiting firm Korn Ferry.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
