Finding a People Analytics Job
Recent lessons from my latest job search
If you spend much time on LinkedIn, it won’t be long before you hear a job hunt horror story. Stories of qualified people applying for hundreds of jobs with no luck, not even getting a single interview. I feel sad for those people but wonder if they are doing something wrong.
Here are the results of my recent job search. 51 applications, 10 first interviews, 5 that went to a 2nd/3rd round of interviews, 2 that I stepped out after the second round of interviews because I wasn’t interested and 2 excellent job offers that met what I was looking for. There was a lot of rejection in the process, making it an emotional roller coaster at times, but now that I’m not in the process, I feel pretty happy about how it went.
What worked for me? I’ll share a few ideas here, noting that the advice is just one opinion and is probably applicable to any serious job hunt, not just those people analytics roles. I can’t guarantee it will work for you. I recognize that many people are struggling out there so here are a few things that worked for me.
Be very clear about what you want in your next job
With so many available job listings of every conceivable type, it is tempting to apply for anything remotely relevant or where you might be somewhat qualified. Perhaps you aren’t sure exactly what you are looking for in your career or for that next step. The first step is to think deeply about what you really want to do and what type of work you most enjoy. Get real specific and clear about that job that you want. Then focus your search and work to that narrower subset. Spending more time crafting your resume for a smaller set of jobs will be better than a minimal amount of time for many jobs.
Don’t write an AI-generated cover letter
I confess I tried to see what AI could do for this. I found it to write trite, rote jargony letters that would be a turnoff for any hiring manager. I don’t know that cover letters help much these days as it depends on the job. I didn’t spend a lot of time on these because I frankly don’t believe they get read very often. Many times I didn’t include it unless it was specifically requested. If you do write a cover letter, make it short, let it reflect your personality, and use it as an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. AI just copies everyone else and you have to grab that hiring manager’s attention, which is not what an AI-generated letter will do.
Use a resume tool to help you tailor your resume for each job
Don’t use the same resume over and over again, you have to create a unique resume for every single application. Make it obvious to anyone reading your resume that you meet the minimum requirements outlined in the job description. There are many tools you can use but I used rezi.ai and I was very happy with the results there. You can use the free version but for me, it was worth the $29 per month for a premium version. I used it for 2 months and it was a bargain. You can put in a job description and it will analyze your resume to see how well you match the description.
Do not use a shotgun approach of applying for hundreds of jobs
The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect different results. If you submit hundreds of applications with no interviews, you have to rethink your approach. You might think that applying for more jobs will increase your chances of getting a job. While that is the intuitive thought, it is the wrong approach. For one, if you are applying for hundreds of jobs, you are much less likely to be tailoring your resume (see 3. above). Second, by applying for hundreds of jobs, you are only adding to the deluge of applications that talent acquisition specialists have to wade through. Overwhelming them makes it harder for them to do their job well and makes things worse for everyone else. Don’t add to the flood, get more deliberate and focused and you can get your foot in the door.
Use LinkedIn as a job-hunting tool
By far, the most valuable resource I found was a timely and insightful book "Linked: Conquer Linkedin. Get Your Dream Job. Own Your Future." I found a copy at my local library but it is well worth the money to buy it if you have to. It is like having a coach to walk you through each step of finding a job. Written by 2 authors who know LinkedIn inside and out, they walk you through this with practical advice and excellent tips.
For one piece of advice specific to jobs in people analytics, you can't forget to utilize an incredible resource that Richard Rosenow compiles. Kudos to him for all his work maintaining such a great resource for PA jobs.
https://lnkd.in/gEHx9v5E
While job hunting is not always fun, you can be successful in this economy. Don’t give up in those downtimes. Don’t take rejection personally (because most of the time it isn’t), and recognize that there is some luck involved. Be persistent and you can be successful in that job hunt. Good luck!
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