Looking for Work is Hard Work

I feel Looking for Work Is Hard Work. One of the biggest misunderstandings about unemployment or career change is the idea that looking for work is something you do casually, or in between other things. A few clicks here, a few applications there, maybe scrolling on some job boards late at night from the couch. And then the frustration sets in when the phone doesn’t start ringing. 

The truth is simple, and sometimes uncomfortable to hear but looking for work is hard work. And I think if we don’t treat it like a job, it rarely is going to produce job level results. 

We need to remember that finding work requires structure, discipline, preparation, and accountability, just like any role on the warehouse floor, in operations, or in leadership. The people who land jobs consistently aren’t lucky. They’re intentional. They are working a plan. 

I’m Marty and today on Warehouse and Operations as a Career I wanted to expand on how hard looking for a job is. We spoke on a few of the topics back in week 37, what was that title, oh, week 37 & Jobs, and I mentioned the phrase on last weeks show. I received a couple of questions on it so I thought we’d spend a few minutes on it today.  

 I always say treat the job search like our present job. If you were scheduled to work a shift, you wouldn’t roll out of bed whenever you felt like it. You wouldn’t decide halfway through the day whether you felt motivated enough to show up. You’d get up, get ready, and get started. Our job search deserves the same respect! We still need set our alarm. Start our day with purpose and block out time or schedule what hours we’re going to spend specifically for job searching. 

That means planning for things like reviewing the online job boards, checking local classified ads, monitoring all your local Facebook job groups, following company career pages, and planning time to make phone calls, sending out follow-ups, and networking. 

This isn’t something you squeeze in when you have time. This is our work. I mentioned job boards, I see too many people rely on a single job board and assume that’s enough, and its not! We need to check those things multiple times a day or throughout our scheduled hours for the day. Oh, and it’s proven that our friends are an excellent resource. They have jobs and they can share the good and the bad about them. Maybe we can even get a referral from them. We’ll want to be careful there though, in our industry, sometimes hiring relatives or friends are frowned on. But I’ve always found them to be a great resource.  

Ok, where was I, I think I skipped a few bullet points there, oh, and I wanted to say you’d be surprised how many job openings never make it to the job boards and are hired through word of mouth. 

I think we have to network like our career depends on it.  Just let people know what kind of work you’re looking for and what experience we bring to the table.  We need to mention what shift or role we’re open to and when we’re available. I’ve found a short, honest conversation can open doors faster than 100 online applications. 

Next is our resume, your resume must match the job you want. And please remember a resume isn’t a life story. It’s more of sales document. Its sole job is to clearly show what you can do, where you’ve done it, and how that experience matches the job you’re applying for. If you’re applying for a forklift position, your resume should highlight equipment types, years of experience, and the different environments you’ve worked in, things like narrow aisle, the outside yards, ramps, coolers or freezers, those types of things. And keywords like safety training and any certifications we’ve had and productivity expectations we’ve worked with. If you’re applying for leadership role, it should mention your team oversight and training responsibilities, any metrics you managed and the accountability you were held to. One generic resume for every job rarely works. Tailor it to the position you’re applying for.  

And please only apply for jobs you can actually succeed at. This is one of the most important, and most ignored points. One-click apply buttons have created bad habits. Clicking apply on dozens of jobs you aren’t qualified for doesn’t increase your chances. It actually hurts them. It wastes your time, and the recruiter or the hiring manager’s time. 

Remember recruiters are reviewing hundreds of resumes. When they see applicants who clearly don’t meet basic requirements, it creates frustration, and it lowers the quality of the process for everyone. Our resume may end up in a discard pile just because we have no experiences for that position. Even if we’d be a great fit for something else they have open.  

Apply for jobs where you meet the basic core qualifications, where you have experience in the position and you can realistically perform the work. In our light industrial world quality beats quantity every time. 

Another biggie, be honest with recruiters. Recruiters aren’t the enemy. Think of them as the gatekeepers. We should be honest about our experience, our availability, our  transportation, our work history, and very important, what you want, and what you don’t want. Overselling yourself may get you a phone call, but it rarely gets you called in for the face to face or hired long-term. Worse, it can damage our reputation with a company or an agency. 

And if you schedule an appointment, show up. Nothing ends a job opportunity faster than a no-show interview. If something comes up, communicate. Life happens. But our silence looks like irresponsibility. 

I won’t harp too much on this one, I get several emails every time I bring it up, but clean up your social media, they can and will look. This part surprises people, but it shouldn’t. Social media is public, and right or wrong, opinions can be formed from it. Recruiters and hiring managers often check social media. Not to judge your personal life, but to look for red flags. At least ask yourself. Is my profile public? And by the way locked profile may be considered a red flag. What would an employer see in 10 seconds? Do my posts reflect maturity and professionalism? Offensive language, threats, constant negativity, or posts bragging about skipping work don’t help your case. You don’t need to erase who you are, just be smart about what you display publicly. Ok, enough on that! 

Moving on, lets be ready for the phone interview. And this is important. The phone interview is not casual. It’s often the most important 5 minutes of the entire process. You may have only 30 seconds to make an impression. By the time the recruiter calls they’ve reviewed dozens, maybe hundreds of resumes. They’re deciding quickly who moves forward. 

Now this is going to be a cold call. If we are busy, watching the children, or outside, or maybe driving, we can share that, and ask if we could give them a call back at so and so time. They do not mind that. They want us focused, and ready to speak with them. We need to be ready when they call or we call them back. That means have your resume in front of you, be in a quiet place, be focused, answer clearly and confidently. Be ready know how to explain our experience, why we’re a good fit, and what we’re looking for or why we answered this ad. Preparation matters. This is our one shot at getting that face to face interview. 

When you walk into that interview, you’re already being evaluated, before you say a word. Remember to dress for the role. If the position requires steel-toe footwear wear them, dress in warehouse attire, look ready, and talk about PPE awareness, show and state what you know. You don’t need to overdress, but you do need to show you understand the environment and are prepared to work in it. It sends a clear message, I’m ready to go to work today. 

Now if we like the job and are offered it, when we say yes or accept it, show up. There is nothing wrong with saying this position isn’t going to be for me. We shouldn’t shake our head yes if inside we know we’re saying no. Of course, things may come up, and all we have to do is communicate that. Don’t burn bridges. If another place has called us and we’re accepting that job, just call and let the hiring agent know.  

Like I mentioned earlier, discipline wins the job search. Looking for work can be exhausting. It’s easy to get discouraged, especially after rejections or silence. But the people who succeed are the ones who stay the course, and stay disciplined. 

They treat the search like a job, stay organized, follow up, show up, prepare, and are confident. 

All that makes it sound easy, it’s not, but it will happen. I’ve always felt that a job search isn’t about luck, It’s about effort and consistency. 

If you’re serious about finding work, treat the process with the same seriousness you would expect from an employer. Show up for it, prepare for it, and respect it. Because looking for work is hard work, and when you do it right, it leads to something even harder, and much more rewarding.  A career. 

Well, there’s a bit on the subject. If you know of anyone seeking employment, please recommend the episode to them, and as always please feel free to send us a message with any thoughts or comments. We love getting questions and topics from the group. On top of all that, please be safe out there, our loved ones need us happy and well this time of year always.