What Is Your Biggest Job Search Problem? [POLL RESULTS AND ANALYSIS]

Current job search problems holding back job seekers and suggestions how to get past them.

These are the results of our poll about What Is Your Biggest Job Search Problem?

What the results mean

34.29% No jobs in my field

This isn't a surprising result to hear as the #1 job search problem people are having in a recession.

Mainstream media likes to measure the job market by the number of advertised job openings in newspapers in a given time frame compared to the same period one month/quarter/year earlier. However, that's not a very good indicator because it doesn't take into account that the number of companies also changes during that time, or that companies are also using other ways, like social media, to publish their job postings.

My follow-up question is this: I believe you, but how do you know there are no jobs in your field?

31.43% I'm not getting many responses to my resumes

This is a classic problem whose sources range from generic, non-targeted resumes to recessionary times where companies aren't hiring.

Follow-up every resume to confirm that it's getting through. If your candidacy is being rejected, try to find out why so that you can learn and improve your results as you go.

If you're sending out too many resumes to have time to follow up after each one, then you're wasting time sending out too many resumes and not targeting them enough.

17.14% I don't know where to start looking

Actually, I expected this number to be higher, considering how many places there are just to find job openings online.

Once you know which job you're looking for, contact some people in your profession (such as on LinkedIn) who work in the location you're targeting, and ask them where & how they found their jobs, have they heard of any job openings, and can they recommend specific websites that are currently trendy for industry job postings.

8.57% Other

These were the other results typed in:

1) Want to springboard to another career but don't know what could use my skills

Talk to a career counselor or try an online aptitude test. TestQ has some good, free career quizzes.

2) No responses before/after I am called for advertised jobs where my profile fits

I'm not sure I understand this, it sounds like another vote for “not getting many responses to my resumes.”

3) Time and language barrier

I'm sure more people are feeling this one, especially in a place like Israel where many new arrivals don't speak Hebrew fluently. Although Hebrew isn't necessary for many jobs in Israel, it may be necessary for getting past HR.

Focus on local job listings that are in a language you're comfortable in, like English. The language of the job listing will usually be the main language needed on the job.

5.71% The job offers I'm receiving aren't good

Many Israeli job seekers have complained to me that employers are offering them jobs with ridiculously low pay, using the economic crisis as an excuse. This is an attempt at exploitation, pure and simple, and I recommend you don't take those offers unless you are *absolutely* desperate for income. And if you are desperate, consider taking an easier job at the same pay but that would give you more time to keep on on job searching until you find a better job opportunity.

2.86% I just started looking, no problem yet

Whoever voted for this last one- sorry to hear about the layoff. Take to heart the other things mentioned here above so you can hopefully avoid these other job search problems.

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