Be encouraged. Job descriptions often read like the company is looking for a purple squirrel that bakes cookies. It is such a common thing that Wikipedia now defines Purple Squirrel as a “job candidate with precisely the right education, experience, and qualifications that perfectly fits a job’s multi-faceted requirements.”
For example. One local company wanted someone with 10 years cloud computing experience and the only person who seemed qualified was Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider who couldn’t apply because he was dead.
This doesn’t mean to go crazy applying for jobs that you may not be qualified for – just to use common sense. Here are three questions to ask when reviewing a job description.
How old is the posting? If it is more than 30 days, it may well be an old, inactive posting that a recruiter forgot to take down or in the case with Glassdoor and Indeed, can’t be taken down.
How is the company doing? Google the company before you apply — if they’ve done mass layoffs, you will be able to find news articles reporting this easily enough. If you have connections at the company, reach out and ask them how the company has been impacted by COVID.
How many open roles are listed on the company’s site? If they only have one or two openings listed, this may actually be a good sign that means someone is actively posting and reviewing job listings. Plus these may be the most ‘critical roles’ that are needed to be filled quickly.
Jobseeker Event
Beat the Applicant Tracking Systems: In this Wake Technical Community College class you will discover how to make your resume “robot” friendly and get it past the machines to a human being, including several strategies to determine the right keywords and important formatting considerations. The class is 4.5 hours, with about 2.5 hours of independent online work and live Microsoft Teams meetings 8/6 & 8/10 from 1-2pm. Facilitated by Gail McCowan.
Students MUST register online before 8/3 at https://tinyurl.com/y2d7zfm3. Fee-waived for qualifying individuals who are unemployed, underemployed, or who have received notice of layoff or pending layoff. To determine your eligibility, contact the HRD office at hrdstudent@waketech.edu
Jobs Opportunities
Organizational Strategy and Communications Coordinator for NC State University. This opportunity supports NC State’s mission and vision by providing consistent and reliable data that informs and supports the university’s strategic decisions.
Communications Associate for Autism Society. The Coordinator is involved in all aspects of organizational content development, including writing, editing, and concept design. The job involves work with the organization’s website, social media, email marketing, and public relations.
What are your dreams?
Is it a new career? We have jobseeker packages for that.
Is it to write and publish a book? We have a package for that.
Is it to get a business off the ground? We offer packages for that too!
For a limited time, I am offering a free 30-minute consultation to encourage you toward your goals. I am also culling through the best possibilities in careers and sharing through LinkedIn, blogs, and enewsletters. If you have a job to share, let us know! We want to help connect great people to new careers.
FRS Communications 