Memo to job seekers

Lack of employment may not be due to the economy

Many job seekers are growing increasingly pessimistic about their ability to gain employment.

Nearly two in five job seekers — 37 percent — lack confidence that the job market will improve next year, according to a recent study conducted by the Career Advisory Board, established by DeVry University.

Hiring managers, however, disagree with this negative outlook. According to findings from the board’s 2013 Job Preparedness Indicator, 87 percent of hiring managers think the job market will improve in 2014. While hiring managers may be optimistic about the job market, they also have a very clear message for job seekers: “Help us help you.”

Only 15 percent of hiring managers said that nearly all or most job seekers have the skills and traits their organization is looking for in a candidate — a 2 percent decrease from last year.

Oddly enough, despite their negative perceptions of the job market, job seekers remain strangely — almost irrationally — sure of themselves. Seven in 10 job seekers (72 percent) are confident they know how to present their skills and experience to an interviewer.

More than half of job seekers (56 percent) are confident they know what employers are looking for in candidates today.

“Our research shows that two out of three hiring managers won’t settle for a candidate without the perfect qualifications for the job,” said Alexandra Levit, business and workplace consultant and Career Advisory Board member. “The good news is that there are steps candidates can take to give employers what they need and want.”

Career Advisory Board members recommend the following strategies to help job seekers shift their mindsets and improve their marketability:

• Recognize the value of career mentorship:

Three out of four hiring managers say job seekers should have a mentor or career coach — yet only 40 percent of job seekers report having a similar professional resource.

Cultivating relationships with experienced and trusted advisers can help job seekers uncover job opportunities. Working with mentors can help you move your career forward and build your network. Mentors can also help you navigate potentially precarious business situations, said Krista Canfield, senior manager, corporate communications for LinkedIn.

• Learn how to tell your story.

According to recent studies, 56 percent of job seekers use keywords from the job description when applying for a position. However, hiring managers

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care more about a candidate’s skill set and experience than just a list of words.

Job seekers have the opportunity to stand out from the pack by telling stories that reinforce their personal brands during interviews. Instead, they should focus less on listing past positions and more on saying, “This is what I’ve learned in my career, and here’s what it enables me to do today,” said Jason Seiden, CEO of Ajax Workforce Marketing.

• Constantly refresh your skills.

Approximately two-thirds of hiring managers believe employees should be mostly responsible for developing the skills and traits needed to be successful in their jobs.

Because of this, job candidates need to take responsibility for enhancing their skill sets through on-the-job experiencing, networking, attending trainings and workshops, and pursuing professional certifications of value in their fields, said Kristin Machacek Leary, vice president of global talent for Quintiles.

• Demonstrate that you can adapt.

Ninety-three percent of hiring managers say job seekers need to demonstrate flexibility to prove they can cope with the ever-changing workplace.

Job seekers should be prepared to share how they have dealt with challenging situations on the fly or rethought an approach to an assignment when something was not working well, said J.T. O’Donnell, career strategist, workplace consultant and founder of

Job seekers can stand apart from the rest and better position themselves for employment by learning to effectively market themselves and by showing adaptability.