One question I get a lot lately is how is the job market? It is not an easy one to answer. There are plenty of jobs posted on LinkedIn, but I only need one job, so what I care for is if there one for me and how to get it.
When I returned from vaction, I started sending applications. Typically, I didn't hear anything for weeks besides the automated "application received" response. Then another automated mail, "we have chosen to proceed with other applicants". Maybe it is just the holiday period, but I think not. Even for the jobs that sounded cool enough to follow up on, responses were slow to come and vague in details. Not very useful (1).
So how to improve?
What do I want and what are they looking for?
I have had the pleasure of doing many fun and challenging jobs in my career. I like new challenges and have been thrown into different situations and delivered. I want to do more of that!
Looking at my cv, others will easily see 20 year experience running complex, financial software development within large development organisations and hire me to do more of that. This may not give me the job I want!
So part of the application process has been to tailor the cv to just look right. More emphasis on the stuff that matches the job post (and using the same words as in the job post), less emphasis on the stuff that point towards other interests and skills.
One of the insights gained in this process is that while I may have seen myself as an agile project manager, a lot of what I have done is what is also called business analysis, business intellegence and business process modelling (2). And I prefer heading in that direction rather than towards a role as scrum master or agile coach.
Tailoring the cv to the job post assumes that the company articulates what they actually are looking for -- and that what they are looking for is what they actually need and will hire. I have seen job posts that mention specific tools and technologies like Tableau, Power BI, Azure, or AWS (3). The truth is that picking up a new tool or technology and using it in a specific context could take no more than a week or two, while a cultural mismatch can't be fixed.
It's a broken process
The hiring process seen from the recruiting companies is not super fantastic either:
First the hiring manager needs an approved headcount. Then the manager drafts a job description which goes through HR before it is published on whatever platforms the company has chosen to pay for. Then in a week or two, they get 200 applications, most of which are from people with no connection to Sweden or Scandinavia and no insight into the business, products or customers. Screening applications is then outsourced or done by a keyword match. Even if this produces a decent shortlist of candidates, it takes time to set up and do interviews and tests before you maybe get to send out offers. During which the headcount approval may need to be renewed or the candidate may have accepted another offer. Only if you end up signing with one candidate, you get to write feedback to the candidates you didn't hire.
It's a broken process. It is designed to avoid mistakes, not to act fast on opportunities.
Do it differently
Obviously, there is another way to do things. It is called networking. A few weeks ago, I announced widely in my network that I am available for a new opportunities. I haved received great response, and it was great to catch up with people I haven't been in touch with for a long time. Thanks!
This resulted in 3 interviews over the last two weeks. One of them led to an offer that I have chosen to accept -- I'm starting a new job tomorrow.
Then you can start asking how is the new job?
(1) Feedback should be specific, acurate, objective, timely and usable.
(2) I read the BABOK Guide (Business Analysis Book of Knowledge).
(3) No LinkedIn and your automated keyword completion: AWS does not mean membership of the American Welding Society.