1 common job search tactic that doesnt work

1 common job search tactic that doesnt work1 common job search tactic that doesnt workAccording to a March 2019 study done by theNational Federation of Independent Business, 54% of business owners reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill. This suggests that many people apply for jobs they arent qualified for, which gives hiring managers the idea that qualified candidates arent out there.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreStudies show that global IQ scores have risen by an average of 20 points since 1950, implying that there should be qualified candidates out there, so why are so many people still struggling to land a job? The answer lies within the job application tactics being used.One Common Job Search Tactic That Doesnt WorkOften people employ the spray and pray tactic when applying for a job. This term has become common among recruiters when describing a candidate that applies to tens or hundreds of positions in the hopes of getting a response from at least one.On average, each corporate job opening attracts 250 resumes.This means that your resume has to be outstanding in order to stand out from the crowd. When using the spray and pray tactic, resumes usually dont hold the specified requirements or keywords, causing them to get turned down immediately.When you dontcustomize your resume to each job, its clear that youre using the spray and pray tactic, and this doesnt bode well for your reputation.Why this tactic doesnt work wellOn top of the fact that your resume is among hundreds of others in the application pool when you apply online, theres another internal issue which makes it hard to secure a job.Scott Uhrig at Agile. Careers explained that,Roughly 80% of jobs are never postedprobably closer to 90% for more senior jobs. The competition for posted jobs is insanethe best jobs are almost never posted.If a job is nt posted, youre going to have a pretty hard time applying for it online.What job search tactics you should be using insteadThe Beatles had it right when they sang, I get by with a little help from my friends. Glassdoor estimates that being referred by someone at the company boosts your chance of successfully landing a jobas high as nearly 7%.Dont have any direct contacts in your industry? Useyour LinkedIn profileto leverage who you know and increase your professional network. You never know who will be able to connect you with someone who can help you develop your career.At the very least, use LinkedIn to connect with recruiters.Research also finds that staffing agency referralsincrease your chance of a successful job placement by more than 5%, and in-person referrals (such as meeting a company representative at a job fair and giving them a resume) increase it by about 4%.Why these tactics workReferrals generally produce a better hire, and statistics suggest that referrals lower th e company turnover rate.46% of referral hires stay over one year, 45% over two years and 47% over three years.Amy Segelin, president of the executive communications recruiting firm Chaloner, explains how the best (and most unexpected) hires happenOut-of-the-box hires rarely happen through LinkedIn applications. They happen when someone influential meets a really interesting person and says, Lets create a position for you.Why? Because its much easier to establish a connection and show your personality in person.While you can highlight what youll bring to the table and the skills you have, its almost impossible to show how well youll fit in with the company culture or how well youll get along with other employees through your resume alone.We live in an age where you can apply to hundreds of jobs with the click of a button, but doing so is one common job search tactic that doesnt work.This job tactic doesnt work because when you apply through an online application, youre one of hundred s of applicants, which makes it hard to give off a lasting impression. Instead, focus on leveraging your network, asking for internal referrals, and using your contacts to get your resume in front of the right person.And when in doubt, remember that the quality of your application will always serve you better than the number of applications youre submitting.This article first appeared on Write Style.Michele Lando is a certified professional resume writer, personal branding expert, and founder of Write Styles. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves both on paper and in person and works to polish individuals application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles provides resources to enhance your resume, professional appearance, and boost your confidence.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people