HR Memo to Job Seekers: Jobs Posted Aren’t Real(??)

I recently came upon the dailyBLOGMA blog and found a memo from the HR office to job seekers, by Kristi Enigl.  In it she has some interesting points, including:

1. There is a “cyberspace blackhole” and that’s where 99% of resumes go.
2. Most of the jobs posted online are not really available.
3. Most people get jobs by being recommended.

Now, these are generalizations – perhaps in different size companies (small startup vs. Fortune 100) they do things different, don’t you think?

Let’s talk about each of these:

1. The resume blackhole. Many of you have felt this.  If you are simply applying to jobs you find online, submitting your resume, you might be nothing more than a headache.  I heard a recruiter say he had to delete his entire database of resumes and start over… yuck!  There is a resume blackhole… you should be doing stuff to not end up in there!

2. Posted jobs aren’t really available?? What gives?  I heard there are a few reasons, Kristi shares other reasons.  The problem is when we, as the desparate job seeker, think applying to a job gives us a chance when there really is no chance at all.  What then, do we simply ignore job boards?  Not necessarily, but don’t sit on them and apply to openings all day.

3. Jobs come because of recommendations? I got news for ya… you have to NETWORK!  You have to build relationships and get to a point where the person who can help you will, and can, recommend you!  You don’t do this by sitting on your computer all day… you have to get out, talk, build relationships…

I’d love to see a real HR director write a real memo… Kristi does a great job of it, but let’s see a Fortune 100 HR leader write something similar… knowing how things work will only help us have a more effective job search, right?