Why A + B = C in Job Search

Why A + B = C in Job Search
Matt LeBlanc, Professional Recruiter/Job Search Strategist
Posted on: October 17, 2011

It seems simple enough, right? A manager needs someone for his team, he gets with HR and they put together a job description and go out and find the person.

I have been in the recruiting game for a number of years now and one thing that I have always found funny is how many times what a job-description says and what hiring manager really needs are different.
It might be something small like something listed as a preference is really a requirement (or vice-versa) or it might end up being that the whole job description is completely off (I’ve seen both).

So how do you combat the (sometimes) miscommunication between HR and the hiring managers they support?

N-E-T-W-O-R-K-I-N-G!!!

Your goal as a job-seeker should be to get to a hiring manager BEFORE he has a need and have him write the job-description based on you rather than you trying to conform to what HR puts together. For a look at networking in its purest (and simplest form check out our previous post on the topic).

As a side note before we close shop it needs to be said that even with some job-descriptions being really bad and really wrong you should still NEVER submit a resume unless you match 75% of what the job description states because you never know – the job description might actually be accurate.

Until next time – good hunting and good luck!