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How much (or how little) do you know about
job hunting? Answer the following 6 questions.
If you get 2 or more wrong,
you probably don't know as much as you should.
1.
You answer a want ad. How many other people respond to that ad?
Often, as many as 500. Sometimes less.
Usually no fewer than 200. The truth is, only 10% of job hunters actually
find their next job through the classifieds.
2.
You send out 50 resumes. How many job interviews can you expect?
None. On average you'd have to mail out 170
resumes to generate one interview. Furthermore, companies interview about 10
people for every position. That makes one job offer for every 1700 resumes.
By the way, today,
many big companies use computer scanners to "read" resumes. Your resume is
more likely to be screened out than screened in.
3.
You lose your job. How long will it take to find the next one?
In today's job market, it takes about 7 or
8 months. (Jan 2003)
4.
Can employment agencies or executive recruiters speed up the process?
Rarely. Less than 10% of all professional,
managerial and executive opportunities are listed with employment agencies.
Executive recruiters don't work for
candidates. They work for companies. Only expect a call if your
qualifications match their specific search assignment.
5.
What are your chances of getting fired?
According to Business Week, 1 in 3. And the
odds increase as you move up the corporate ladder. In the past decade, more
than 500,000 middle managers and senior executives got the ax.
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