Posts Tagged ‘Hiring’

What recession?

News hit recently that Facebook is planning to go on a hiring spree this year, scooping up unemployed or under-employed engineers as it looks to deepen its talent pool. According to CNET news:

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg plans to increase the company’s head count by as much as 50 percent this year. The young founder said in an interview with Bloomberg that since there are a significant number of engineers and developers looking for work, Facebook–still flush with venture funding, and with revenues on the rise–can scoop them up.

Impressive. I guess I underestimated just how big Facebook really is…

Facebook has big expectations for this year’s revenue. Board member Marc Andreessen said the revenue for 2009 should reach $500 million; COO Sheryl Sandberg said it should grow 70 percent compared to 2008. Since Facebook’s financials aren’t public, we can’t be sure what the numbers for 2008 really were (Facebook’s own projections from January 2008. were at 300 – 350 million dollars).

I still find it baffling that Facebook can employ so many people. I’m even more astounded at its current and projected revenues (which are stellar for a company its age).

So what does this mean for your job hunt? If you are interested in technology and social networking, you may be able to land a spot at one of technology’s hottest companies.

But better still, nothing inspires creativity more than strong competition. Dozens of competitors (both large and small) will be gunning for a piece of the space that Facebook currently occupies. This means more jobs are likely on their way soon, a definite plus for anyone looking for a position with a tech startup.

One of my goals with Gradversity is to share as much information as I can about the job search process. Much of the shared information comes from a variety of online sources, be it other career experts or major news sites. However, it is rare that we actually get a look at hiring practices from the inside.

That is exactly what How The Recession Has Changed Hiring does. Posted recently on US News, this article tries to explain the differences in the hiring process from the perspective of a hiring manager.

There are two major points in this piece that you need to be aware of.

First, was how the recruiter’s perception of “required qualifications” has changed:

I used to tell people that the “required qualifications” in job ads were wish lists, not inflexible requirements, and that candidates who didn’t perfectly match weren’t automatically disqualified. But these days I’m finding myself more often than not hiring people who are perfect matches, because the job market is dumping them in my lap. So, it’s harder for less perfectly qualified candidates to stretch up to a job that in previous years they might have been able to get more easily.

Second was her commentary on the volume of applications:

To no one’s surprise, there are way more applicants for any job I post. Overwhelmingly so. I look at every single one, so the amount of time involved has gone way up.

So what does this mean to you as a New Grad looking for an Entry Level Job? There are three things that you need to take away from this in order to help better position yourself.

• You need to tailor your application package to each specific job. If the “requirements” are becoming tighter and more competitive, you need to do everything in your power to ensure that your resume and cover letter address as many (if not all) of the aspects of the job posting as possible.

• You need to know what makes you stand out from the crowd and use it to your advantage. If a hiring manager gets hundreds of resumes for each open position, only those resumes that stand out are going to get their attention. You need to find a way to get their attention AND make a positive impression if you are hoping to land an interview.

• You MUST follow up on your applications. Even if you have the best resume around, you can still be passed over by the hiring manager if it gets lost in the pile. Follow up and provide them a reason to look at your application package. It can mean the difference between a protracted job hunt and a quick interview.

It’s never easy to land an Entry Level Job, but it’s certainly not impossible. Stick to it and you will succeed.