need a better job?
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1 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
Matthew KosinskiAnne St. Hilaire
Better Job? Here’s How to Get It the Right Way.
Need a
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What’s Inside
Intro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Are You a Passive Job Seeker? . . . . . . . 5
The Curse of Comfort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
When Is It Time to Look for a New Job? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
What Steps Should I Take to Maximize My Passive Job Search? . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Is Hiding My Job Search from My Current Employer Wrong? . . . . . . . . . . 14
What Should I Look for in a New Employer? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
It’s amazing how much of a difference five years can make.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that at this time in 2010,
the unemployment rate in America was 9.8 percent and rising every
day; today, the nation sees itself at a more comfortable 5.6 percent.
But this drastic decrease does not exactly mean that those who
are employed are happy to be so. In fact, 63 percent of employed
citizens do not feel engaged in their roles, while 24 percent
pretty much hate their jobs. If you are part of this population
of employees that are unsatisfied with their current job,
it may be time to consider making a career change.
However, before you decide to pick
up and leave for good, we’ve got
some effective and easy
pointers for you on how to
get a better job the right way.
The Recruiter.com team has
come together to help you
identify just what kind of candidate
you are, what you need to know about
finding a new job, and how you can find the
best position and employer for your career.
5 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
According to LinkedIn’s 2014 Talent Trends
report, 75 percent of working professionals identify
as “passive candidates.” But what are passive
candidates — and are you one of them?
In recruiting terms, a passive candidate is someone
who currently has a job but is also open to new
career opportunities. The passive candidate is a
candidate who is not actively seeking a new
employer, but who would be willing to consider
new opportunities if they arose.
Generally, a passive candidate likes their job well
enough, but also feels like it’s not quite perfect.
Maybe they’d prefer to work for a manager with a
slightly different management style. Maybe they’d
like it if their employers’ values aligned a little
Are You a Passive Job Seeker?
better with their own values. Maybe they feel like
they’re starting to stagnate in a role they’ve held
for a long time, but they’re not quite certain that
leaving their company is the best or most
desirable option.
If any of this sounds like you, you’re probably a
passive candidate. Maybe you knew that about
yourself already, or maybe this is news to you.
Whatever the case, as a passive candidate, you’re
in high demand: companies see you as the most
desirable type of candidate, and many recruiters
are on the prowl for you. That’s good news, but it
gets even better: you can leverage this situation to
your advantage by becoming what we like to call a
“passive job seeker.”
Like the passive candidate, the passive job seeker
6 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
is already employed, but open to new oppor-
tunities. Unlike the passive candidate, the pas-
sive job seeker doesn’t wait for recruiters to
come knocking. Instead, the passive job seek-
er puts in a little footwork, quietly looking for
new opportunities while still coming to work
every day (and performing to their utmost
capabilities!).
The passive job seeker isn’t quite the same
as the active employed job seeker, either.
While both are looking for new opportunities,
the passive job seeker is more deft in their
touch. The active job seeker sallies forth into
the market; the passive job seeker tiptoes
their way to a new employer after conducting
a careful and considered search.
7 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
Perhaps while reading this ebook, you’re
thinking to yourself: “I don’t really need to know
any of this stuff — I love my job!” If so, you may
have to ask yourself a difficult and
seemingly paradoxical question: “Am
I too comfortable in my job?”
Comfort seems like a good thing,
right? You don’t want to be stressed
out or anxious every day. You want
to feel good at work, and comfort
should be a good way to feel, right?
While you don’t want to be a stress-
stricken mess, you do want to be
challenged by your job, which isn’t exactly the
The Curse of Comfort
same as being comforted by your job. Your job
should push you to grow and improve. That’s how
you advance through the ranks: we develop our
skills by overcoming challenges, and,
ideally, our ability to overcome chal-
lenges should show our employers
that we’re ready for a promotion, new
responsibilities, new opportunities, etc.
Your job should not just let you stag-
nate (comfortably!) at the same level
for years at a time.
But a lot of companies don’t work this
way. A lot of companies don’t push
their employees to grow, leaving them
comfortable but stuck in the same role for what
8 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
feels like eternity. And even if your employer does challenge
you, there’s no guarantee that it will recognize your
achievements and reward you accordingly.
If you are too comfortable — or simply realize your
achievements go unrecognized — you may want to start
looking for a new job, one that will challenge you to grow,
one that will help you advance your career in new and
exciting ways, one that offers better opportunities for your
personal and professional development.
Have you been languishing in the same role since you started
at the company five years ago? Maybe it’s time to look for an
employer who will give you a chance to rise to a new level.
Maybe it’s time to ditch your middle-management job for a
shot at the executive ranks.
• Challenge yourself to grow.
• Advance your career in new and exciting ways
• Find opportunities for your personal and professional development.
9 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
So, You’re a Passive Job Seeker — Here’s What You Need to Know
10 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
If you currently have a job, you probably feel pretty lucky. Sure,
the economy is improving these days, but plenty of people are
still out of work and struggling to find employment. This may
make you wonder when it’s appropriate to start passively seeking
new employment. Whether or not you’re open to new
opportunities is an entirely personal decision. Given that most
passive job seekers enjoy their jobs to some degree, it can be
especially difficult for them to really decide that jumping ship
and heading for another company is the right career move. If
you’re wondering whether or not it’s time for you to start quietly
looking into the job market, there are some important things
you should consider.
There’s plenty to think about when debating whether or not you
want to make a change in your career, and no one can make the
decision for you. However, if you feel that your current job isn’t
meeting all of your important needs and/or desires, then you
may want to think about looking for a position that will.
When Is It Time to Look for a New Job? How long have you been in your current
position? Are you growing tired of it?
Are there opportunities for career
advancement at your current employer?
Do your employer’s values and goals
align with your own? Could you find
an employer whose values and goals
are a better fit for you?
Is the corporate culture really right for
you? Do you feel that your managers
truly appreciate you? Do they show it?
Are you rewarded and/or compensated
fairly for your skills and contributions?
Will this current job take you where you
want to go in your career?
Are you being challenged at work?
Do you feel your job encourages you
to strive for your best at all times?
11 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
So, you’ve decided to put out your feelers and
look for new opportunities — great! However,
as a passive job seeker, you face a
slightly more complex job search than
the average person. After all, you’re
still employed, and you probably
don’t want your employer to find out
that you’re thinking about leaving.
A successful passive job seeker needs
to conduct thorough research and
make themselves available to new
employers while still flying under their
current employer’s radar. This can seem like a
daunting task, but these tips may help:
Keep Your Social Media Profiles Updated
Social recruiting is big: 93 percent of recruiters say
they review their candidates’ social
profiles, and plenty of recruiters use
sourcing tools that scrape social
media sites for relevant information.
If you’re in the market, you want to
put your best foot forward.
Make sure your LinkedIn is completely
up-to-date, and make an effort to
share career-relevant content across
multiple sites, like Twitter, Facebook,
GitHub, and StackOverflow. This will show potential
employers that you are passionate about and
What Steps Should I Take to Maximize My Passive Job Search?
12 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
engaged with your industry. Remember, however,
that you don’t want your current employer to catch
wind of the fact that you’re open to leaving. Don’t
publicly advertise that you’re looking for new jobs
on your social media platforms — but don’t shy away
from connecting with people who may help you land
those jobs, either.
Is Your Resume Online? It Should Be
Recruiters do plenty of online sourcing, and it
doesn’t all take place on social media. To that end,
you should post your resume on job boards, where
recruiters may have an easier time finding it.
If you’re worried that posting your resume online
could lead to your employer finding out that you’re
passively looking for a new job, you may want to
post your resume to job boards that will let you do
so anonymously. You may also choose to create a
personal, professional website that hosts your
resume and/or work portfolio. Think about using a
site like about.me to create a professional Web
presence for yourself. Employers likely won’t see
this as a sign that you might leave: plenty of
professionals maintain online portfolios as a way
to track their work and accomplishments. It’s
common enough that it probably won’t raise any
eyebrows while still spreading word about you to
prospective new employers.
Tap Into Your Network
This goes hand in hand with keeping your social
media profile updated. Reach out to people who
may be valuable
contacts in your
passive job search.
Building connections
with the
companies you’re
interested in will
boost your
visibility. You may also want to reach out to any
close, personal confidants whom you can trust to
keep your job search secret. They may be able to
13 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
put you in touch with valuable contacts as well —
or, if these confidants work for employers you’re
interested in, they may be able to help you
get your foot in the door quietly.
Take Your Time
The passive job search is a slow burn, not a rush
to the finish line. This shouldn’t be too much of a
problem: you’re already employed, so you don’t
need to scramble for a paycheck. As an employed
job seeker, you have the luxury of taking your time.
Use it wisely, and carefully consider all of your
options, in terms of career moves, potential
employers, and your long- and short-term
goals, before making any decisions.
Remember: You Are Still Employed
Even if you are open to leaving, you still work
for someone. Make sure your passive job search
does not interfere with your duties or
responsibilities as an employee. Don’t conduct
your job search while on the clock, and continue to
perform to the best of your abilities. The benefits of
keeping your job search and your work life separate
are twofold: first, you minimize your chances of getting
caught by a manager
who just happens to
walk past your desk
while you’re scrolling
through a job board;
second, if you’re a
valuable employee to
the very end of your tenure, your employer will look
fondly on you. You’ll be able to leave on good terms
and won’t burn any bridges in the process.
Also, try to schedule any interviews you land
outside of your normal workday. If you keep calling
in sick, coming in late, or leaving early, your
employer will probably grow suspicious. At the
very least, your manager won’t be happy that
you’re suddenly absent all the time.
14 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
With all this talk about keeping secrets,
growing suspicions, and hiding your job
search, you may begin to look at the concept
of passive job searching as a negative thing.
After all, to look at new employment while
remaining dedicated to your current position
is technically “hiding information” from
your company and boss, and could
potentially make you feel like you are
doing something wrong.
However, passive job seeking is not
something to feel guilty about. The goal
of searching out new opportunities while
Is Hiding My Job Search from My Current Employer Wrong?
15 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
staying active and meaningful in your current
role not only benefits your career and your life,
but also shows that you care about your present
employment. Instead of quitting and leaving your
company with an open position and no one to fill
it, you are showing respect by remaining
dedicated. You are maintaining a healthy
relationship with your boss and team, and are
simply moving on to bigger and better opportu-
nities. There is nothing “wrong” with that whatso-
ever. More importantly, passively job searching is
doing a huge favor for yourself. Not only does it
allow you to keep your position and the financial
support that it provides, but it also is a chance to
advance within your career and make a better life
for yourself.
As mentioned above, passive job seekers
have the luxury of time: they can afford to
deliberately mull over their choices and really
pursue the opportunities that most interest
them. As a passive job seeker, you must take
advantage of this luxury! A good way to do so
is to figure out what you really want out of a
new employer.
What Should I Look for in a New Employer?
16 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
Craft an Ideal Employer Profile
Try to create a profile of what your ideal
employer would be like. Include everything that
is important to you. Some things to consider:
What is the company culture like?
What industry is the business in?
What is your specific job in the company like?
What sort of management style do
supervisors use?
How many hours do you spend at the
office every week?
Are there any flexible work options available?
What is communication like within the business?
Would you work on a team? Alone?
What kind of perks or benefits will the
employer offer you?
What are career advancement opportunities like?
17 ©2015 Recruiter.com | Need a Better Job?
The list can go on and on. Basically, what you
want to do is describe your dream job at your
dream employer. Be reasonable: for example, if
you’re currently working in an entry-level role,
you won’t be able to jump straight to CEO. The
ideal employer profile should make sense for
where you are in your career at the moment.
Make a List of Employers You’d Like to Work For
Research companies that might fit the bill of your
ideal employer profile. See how they match up to
what you want. You may not find employers that
perfectly match your ideal criteria, but you should
be able to find some that come close – unless your
expectations are totally unrealistic, that is. Reach
out to contacts who work at each company to get
a feel for the company’s culture and office environ-
ment. If you have no contacts in the company, try
to network your way to them!
Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and
industry-specific social networking sites are great
ways to connect with people. Do any of the
companies you’ve researched have openings to
which you’d like to apply? Go for it!
Evaluate All Employment Opportunities Against Your Current Situation (and Each Other)
Spend some time searching for and applying to
employment opportunities at companies that hold
up according to your “ideal employer” criteria.
Compare each employment opportunity against
the other opportunities you have. Which one(s)
comes closest to what you’re looking for in your
career? Which offers the right perks, culture,
advancement opportunities, salary, etc.? Put
your all into landing the job (or jobs) that are
most attractive to you out of all available options.
Passive job seeking may seem like a risky situation
to put yourself in, but in truth it is a great step
to take in your career, especially if you are
unsatisfied or unfulfilled at work. You
will find great rewards while passively
job seeking if you do your research,
evaluate your opportunities, and utilize
your resources. As recruiters, trust us
when we say that you WILL find a great
new job, and it will be much easier
than you think. If you can’t find any
opportunities that match what you want
at first, keep looking. Remember: you
have time on your side, so you don’t
need to apply to any jobs out of need
or desperation. Now go out there and
take the job market by storm!
www.recruiter.com
You’ll love working with this Recruiter.
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