A friend of mine is also looking for work. They have got themselves into a slightly tricky situation where two different recruiters have put them forward for different roles in the same organisation. A mis-understanding that has made it harder for them to go ahead with that role (and one they are really interested in).
I could've been in the same position: a recruiter asked me if I'd been put forward to a company or not. I wasn't sure - I had discussed a role at a company while driving to work one day last year; I distinctly remember that call. I think I decided it wasn't right for me; but I'm not 100% sure. So I probably haven't been put forward, but I don't know.
These two little vignettes summarise one of the biggest challenges in job hunting: keeping track of all the different applications. It's compounded by the fact that there are often roles with more than one recruiter, promoted in multiple places, and - annoyingly - with subtly different job descriptions (and titles!) Given I'm in technology, it seems there could be a solution.
My mind-set for job hunting is it's basically the same as selling process. I'm the product, the job is the deal. My CV is the proposal. The recruiter is the purchasing department. And it's often tricky to get to the real customer - the hiring manager. This thinking pointed pretty directly to the solution: CRM.
There are a number of free CRM systems out there; I chose Zoho. It's probably the second biggest CRM in the world (behind Salesforce) and the free license seems pretty open. It lets me:
Of course, a CRM will, never solve every problem; and Zoho took a little re-purposing to suit my needs. But it does provide a tool and if I use that tool well, it makes it a bit easier to keep track of everything. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for work.
I could've been in the same position: a recruiter asked me if I'd been put forward to a company or not. I wasn't sure - I had discussed a role at a company while driving to work one day last year; I distinctly remember that call. I think I decided it wasn't right for me; but I'm not 100% sure. So I probably haven't been put forward, but I don't know.
These two little vignettes summarise one of the biggest challenges in job hunting: keeping track of all the different applications. It's compounded by the fact that there are often roles with more than one recruiter, promoted in multiple places, and - annoyingly - with subtly different job descriptions (and titles!) Given I'm in technology, it seems there could be a solution.
My mind-set for job hunting is it's basically the same as selling process. I'm the product, the job is the deal. My CV is the proposal. The recruiter is the purchasing department. And it's often tricky to get to the real customer - the hiring manager. This thinking pointed pretty directly to the solution: CRM.
There are a number of free CRM systems out there; I chose Zoho. It's probably the second biggest CRM in the world (behind Salesforce) and the free license seems pretty open. It lets me:
- Track the stage for each deal (job application)
- Record job details when I first find the opportunity
- Record actions - and set-up tasks with reminders for next steps
- Save copies of documents - most obviously the job description and CV
- Record the various people involved - the recruiter, the hiring manager, and anyone else
- Track leads before they become jobs
- Manage contacts and calls
- Track everything from an app on my phone
- Remind me when I need to do something
Of course, a CRM will, never solve every problem; and Zoho took a little re-purposing to suit my needs. But it does provide a tool and if I use that tool well, it makes it a bit easier to keep track of everything. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for work.
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