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- Is it market or your resume? Plus, leverage your goldilocks zone to find jobs more effectively
Is it market or your resume? Plus, leverage your goldilocks zone to find jobs more effectively
Launch #76
James Cooper
August 17, 2024
On Today’s Launch
Free Edition: Addressing a subscriber question about lack of interviews and adding metrics.
Bonus: How to find your goldilocks zone and find jobs in a tough job market (plus, get FREE copies of my worksheets that will help you with the process of self-discovery and find a job that aligns with both your skills AND interests).
PS: Did you know that this newsletter counts as an educational resource? It can be expensed through your manager or your company's professional development budget. Here is a template I wrote for you to use when asking your manager.
Previous launches you may have missed…
Answering a job seeker’s question about a lack of callbacks and metrics on a resume
This week, someone reached out to me on LinkedIn - he was encountering two challenges with his job search and resume:
These aren’t uncommon challenges - more than half of people I speak to have trouble in these areas
I wanted to address them here because I feel they apply to a lot of people.
Number 1 - is it the market or the resume?
It’s likely the market.
That being said, you still need to have a solid resume to get through. If you weren’t getting very many hits on your resume before, then it’s much worse now.
If you did and that’s now changed (with all else held equal), then the market is probably wreaking havoc on your prospects.
What can you do about that? Well actually in today’s premium section (below), I go over some strategies to find job opportunities in spite of the challenges of a hyper-competitive job market.
The gist of it is that you need to focus on the intersection between what you’re really good at and what you’re interested in. This strategy increases the chances of landing a role - key steps involved:
Identify your niche by assessing unique skills, industry knowledge, and company stage preference.
Focus exclusively on roles within your niche.
Resist the urge to apply outside your niche to increase success.
Number 2 - Addressing the issue of metrics
I’ve already addressed this issue in two other posts - if you haven’t read them, I highly recommend doing so.
Should your LinkedIn copy your resume?
Common question people ask - should I copy my resume into my LinkedIn profile?
No. You shouldn’t.
Your LinkedIn profile is more than just an online resume. While a resume is a static document tailored to specific job applications, LinkedIn is dynamic - it’s like an ad page that draws people in (ideally recruiters).
AND, unlike a resume, LinkedIn allows you to tell more of your story. Who you are, why you got into this field, why companies have hired you in the past, and what you like doing off the job.
So don’t just use it to rehash your resume. That’s not what it’s for.
About the Author
I’m James, Cofounder of Final Draft Resumes. I’ve been in the career consulting space for 13 years, and before that, I was a recruiter for AECOM.
I’ve helped thousands of job seekers, from industries like software engineering, IT, sales, marketing, manufacturing, and more generate job opportunities through well-written resumes that translate unique backgrounds into coherent narratives.
If you’re struggling with your resume for whatever reason, reach out - I just might be able to help!
If you’re more of a DIY person, then check out Resumatic, my free-to-try resume builder.
Cast a narrower net to stand out in 2024
Remember the good old days when you could blast out your resume to dozens of companies and wait for the interview offers to roll in? I sure do. But in 2024 the job search landscape looks drastically different.
The strategies that worked just a few years ago are now painfully outdated. The frustration of endlessly applying to jobs and hearing nothing back is real, and it's time for a fresh approach.
The truth is, the "spray and pray" method is no longer effective. The tech industry, particularly, has undergone a dramatic shift, with companies becoming more focused and specialized in their hiring practices.
They are no longer looking for generalists who can sort of do a bit of everything. They want experts who excel in a specific area.
This means job seekers need to adapt. Instead of playing a numbers game, it's time to play a focus game. And the key to winning this game is to identify and leverage your goldilocks zone.
What is the goldilocks zone?
Your goldilocks zone is that sweet spot where your expert-level abilities intersect with your personal interests.
It's where you not only perform at your best but also derive genuine joy and satisfaction from your work.
In today's market, job searching within this zone is crucial. It allows you to:
Align with roles. You'll be applying for jobs that match your skills and interests.
Stand out from the crowd. Your unique mix of expertise and interest will make you a more compelling candidate.
Increase job satisfaction. You'll be doing work that you love, leading to greater fulfillment and success.
So, how do you find your goldilocks zone and land a job? Let's dive in.
Step One: Identify your niche
This is about becoming one of the few, or even the only person, who can excel in a particular role. To identify your niche, you need to assess two key areas:
1) Your Expertise
Unique skills – What are you exceptionally good at? What skills set you apart from your peers? If you were ever contacted by recruiters before, what kind of roles was it for?
Industry/product knowledge – Do you have deep experience in a particular industry or with a specific type of product? What are areas your coworkers often come to you for help with? Which area could you write an entire blog post about without any research?
Company stage preference – Do you thrive in early-stage startups, mid-growth companies, or large, established organizations? Have you excelled in one or more of these environments before?
2) Your Interests
Identifying joy and purpose – What aspects of your work bring you the most energy and satisfaction? What problems do you enjoy solving?
Writing a niche statement – Once you've identified your expertise and interests, combine them into a concise statement that defines your niche.
Step Two: Exclusively pursue roles in that niche
Once you've defined your niche, it's time to focus your job search exclusively on roles that align with it. This means:
Saying No. It can be tempting to apply for jobs that are slightly outside your niche, but resist the urge. Staying focused will increase your chances of success.
A focused job search allows you to make faster decisions, project greater confidence, and ultimately find a job that's a perfect fit. The LAMP method is one such example of a focused job search.
Here are a few sample niche statements to get you started:
"I'm an expert in SaaS marketing with a passion for helping early-stage startups achieve rapid growth."
"I'm a data scientist specializing in machine learning applications for the healthcare industry."
"I'm a full-stack developer who loves building user-friendly interfaces for B2C products."
Use your niche statement to guide your job search, making sure to stay within its confines (it can be tempting to stray, but try not to).
And remember, real people have successfully used this approach to land their dream jobs. There are countless stories of individuals who, by focusing on their goldilocks zone, found roles that matched their skills and passions.
To sum up
In a competitive market, it's important to identify your goldilocks zone and focus your job search efforts.
By casting a smaller net and pursuing roles that align with your niche, you'll increase your chances of landing a job that you love and excel at.
Additional Resources