The Secret of Using Job Ads

I’m often skeptical about finding jobs through ads because less than 30% of jobs are found that way. However, recent college grads may not think that they have enough contacts to network effectively.  Thus, they resort to answering ads online from the “safety” of their parents’ couches.

Answering ads, while apparently easier than other methods, is quite frustrating. Grads fill out application after application on line, only to disappear into the resume maw.  They never hear from the companies again.

Take the case of Carol, a recent grad from a small university in the Mid-Atlantic region.* Although she did some networking, her primary method of obtaining jobs was ads.  Responses were not forthcoming. Then, she saw a posting for  an economics research position in a policy institute.  She looked up the researchers noted in the ad on her university’s directory and found that one researcher was an alumnus. Although Carol never heard back from this researcher, the researcher’s supervisor contacted Carol and encouraged her to apply online.

In contrast to other ads she had answered, in this case, Carol took a more proactive role. She sent an email to the supervisor informing her about the application and followed up again  with a phone call when she didn’t hear anything. She received an apology from the boss who requested a phone interview with Carol.

And the phone interview led to an in-person interview and a call-back interview. And she was offered the job she wanted. She started last month.

So, perhaps, I’ll revise my estimate of job ads, especially for college grads.  If the grads are willing to put themselves out there and follow-up consistently.

*Name changed.