In this ever changing and frightening job market, people run out to the bookstore, buy the latest book on job search, listen to the morning shows for information on the job market, and talk with HR and Recruiting professionals. People are listening to everyone else, but not understanding that they must look at their job search and ask the proverbial Dr. Phil question…”Is it working for you”. We don’t ask ourselves that. We just work harder and harder doing the same old things getting the same old results.

There are 2 reasons why you are either not getting in the right doors or you cannot secure the offer.

1. People look the same on paper so it’s hard for hiring managers, HR professionals and Recruiters to “see the difference” in what you do than everyone else.

2. People sound the same in interviews.

People answer the questions with general statements like, “My people like working for me and we always get over the finish line”, “I make things happen”, or the favorite of the day, “I put the sales plan together, hire the sales people and call on customers. That’s what I can do for you Mr./Ms. Prospective employer.” Isn’t that what they hired you to do?

On the other side of the coin, there are the Marketing Directors that say, “I can do internet marketing, SEO, launch a website and manage a team”. Well, that great…you and ever other Marketing Director out there.

The Project managers say, “I put the plan together, we launched the plan and the project was done on time”. Candidates can give detailed accounts of each project. That’s great…isn’t that what they are paying you to do?

Just a few years ago, hiring managers were interested in “finding where you fit” in their organization. Today, they expect YOU to tell them where you fit. The burden of proof is on the candidate, more than ever before and quite frankly, since people look the same on paper, with the “latest and greatest resume format” and everyone says the same things in interviews, it makes it extremely difficult for the hiring managers to see the difference in candidates.

Because the market has changed, and hiring managers feel it is a buyer’s market, they want more candidates from HR and /or Recruiters. This puts tremendous pressure on companies; they get frustrated, and put positions on hold or string out the decision which leaves both sides ready to pull their hair out.

Wake up everyone. Dump the rules. Forget about the latest and greatest book on the shelves. Look different on paper and sound different in interviews, put the right marketing channels in your plan and remember this is a numbers game.

Look at your current strategy and say “is is working for me?” If not, face it, like you would a business problem and make the appropriate changes in your strategy