Preparing for your next job begins the moment you start working and yet most people avoid job searching until they need too. Those that are searching for employment often share regrets about not taking care of their career sooner rather than later by maintaining good networking connections and keeping current with needed skills.
A new report from Future Workplace in partnership with Beyond, The Career Network, announced the results of a national survey that found a disconnect between perceptions of employers and job seekers. The study involved a national sample of more than 4,000 job seekers as well as 129 Human Resources professionals. Part of the findings suggests an overwhelming 80 percent of HR professionals believe passive job seekers become the most effective employees. A passive job seeker in their study indicates a person who is currently working whereas an active job seeker is someone currently unemployed and searching for a job.
The findings support the bias that job seekers often feel when actively searching for jobs compared to those that are working. The study is important to those currently conducting a job search for a number of reasons, mainly being aware of the perception that exits in the marketplace.
While talking with Dan Schawbel, partner & Research director at Future Workplace and New York Times bestselling author of Promote Yourself and Me 2.0 about the report, he said it can send a discouraging message to those who are actively job searching, but when you examine the factors that influence Human Resources professionals it can give you insider information in how to overcome the dilemmas that active job candidates face in the market.
According to the study, the reason why employers tend to be attractive to passive job seekers is the perception developed around their skill sets. They see passive job seekers as having more current experience (44 percent) , possessing more valuable skills (44 percent) and taking their career seriously (42 percent). The perception appears to be based on three factors – if you are working then you have current experience, possess more valuable skills and seem to take your career seriously.
So where does that leave you if you are between jobs and are currently looking for employment? The report leaves you with the need for a new mindset towards employability that impacts both those who are currently searching for work and those who are employable.
Even when you are gainfully employed it helps to have a Plan B or alternative route in case your employment status changes.
Today’s business market changes at such a rapid pace that employers have to change in order to compete. The new business norm is a “constant adjusting and restructuring” mindset. If you are stuck in a job search mentality that having a job protects you from future job searches you may want to rethink your plans.
“I always urge my generation to become passive job seekers so they can gain leverage and power over their career prospects. If you’re unemployed, you can turn into a passive job seeker right now by freelancing, selling items on sites like Amazon and eBay, being an entrepreneur, volunteering or blogging. By engaging in these activities while you search for a job, you won’t have gaps on your resume, you’ll be practicing new skills and potentially make side income so you will be less desperate for a job, which makes you more attractive as a job seeker” said Schawbel.
Dan and I discussed the urgency for everyone to view their career as a continuous learning experience. The reason why employers develop a more favorable impression of passive job seekers is because they are continually looking for ways to keep their skills current and are taking ownership of their career growth.
The good news for active job seekers is that it’s not too late to turn your job search situation around by taking the steps needed to become a passive job seeker. You can do that through contract work, temp jobs, or taking on part time projects. Examine your job search and think outside of the box rather than solely relaying on your resume to bring employers to you.
While the notion exists that passive job seekers are more attractive to employers, you can take steps to turn your job search around and be viewed as a passive job seeker. The point is to take charge of your career and always look at it as a continuous learning experience.
What are your thoughts around being more attractive to employers when you have a job versus looking for one?
