Why you should get off job boards

When a frustrated client in the throes job search tells me something like, “I have submitted my resume to more than 300 job postings and I have only received one interview,” I want to scream:

“Get off the job boards.”

I hear job seekers complain that HR never calls them back, but they never try to reach out to anyone else. These job seekers say sending their resume to the job boards is like sending it into a black hole – but then they keep doing it.

And these job seekers wonder why they are frustrated! 

Effective executive search methods in today’s economy embrace both the use of technology and tried-in-true traditional methods – they use The R.O.T.H. Method.

What is the R.O.T.H. Method?

R.O.T.H. means to Reach Out To Humans.

Get away from submitting to job postings and ATS systems. Stop waiting for recruiters to call. Get on the phone and talk to a human. Find the email address of a new contact on LinkedIn and send an email. Identify where your hiring manager’s audience congregates both on and offline. Then send consistent, proactive messaging to those individuals in the audience, with or without a job posting, to receive serious interview traction.

And just to get the ball rolling, here are five tactics you can start using TODAY that leverage the R.O.T.H. Method:

1. Propose your own position to an organization. Don’t wait for the right job posting to surface or recruiter to call. Research the company’s needs and connect with prospective bosses using The R.O.T.H. Method. Propose how you can add value in a diplomatic manner – don’t assume the company has a problem in this area. Outline how you can contribute directly to their bottom line.

2. Introduce yourself online. Develop the relationship offline. CEOs and C-level executives embrace social media now more than ever to communicate news and demonstrate influence. Executive job seekers can use this as leverage to reach out and make an introduction. Network online to make an introduction and then take it to the real world to develop the relationship – this is really the essence of The R.O.T.H. Method.

Savvy executives use social more precisely and deliberately for branding and lead generation. They are not on social media just to be on it.

3. Passive is the new active. Taking an active approach on social media attracts talent managers. When a recruiter seeks out an executive candidate that is called passive recruiting. However, the more effort an executive candidate puts into branding, the more they increase the likelihood of being found. The Harvard Business Review states C-level executives attract talent using social media. Retained recruiters are also attracted to executives using social media. They want to recruit leaders who are using progressive tools to communicate a consistent message and attract talent. Therefore, taking an active approach to being a passive candidate generates results.

4. More executive roles are virtual in this global mobile economy. High-level contract roles and executive freelancing are becoming more prolific in today’s job opportunity landscape as this arrangement allows for company resource flexibility. Candidates, who are open to this type of work, find work faster. Creating positions and proposing them to companies using The R.O.T.H. Method, versus applying through job boards or responding to posted positions can often get an accomplished executive in the door faster – leading to direct hire work in the near future.

5. Participate in online and offline events and land interviews from the engagement. Attend your profession’s yearly conference, make contacts and follow-up after the event. Participate in a Google chat or Skype session by your potential next leader, and then reach out to the presenter offline after the chat. Comment on blogs and then send an email to the author with additional insights and questions to land interviews.

Examples might include:

Networking for Job Seekers Meetups in Denver:

Eventbrite CO Networking Events:

Each of these tactics have landed executives interviews. The trick though is to be ready when opportunity knocks, so get your resume and LinkedIn Profile in order so you can confidently and concisely communicate your wins and achievements during the interview.