Getting Referred is the way to Your Dream Job

Getting Referred is the way to Your Dream Job You may bedrngnis like it, but the truth is that getting a job is about more than just having the right skills and experience and applying to job boards. The best way to land your dream job is to get referred or recommended by an influential employee within your target employers business. Come to think of it, to some degree, its always been this way (i.e. its not what you know but who you know). The advent of social media technologies means that employee referrals are beginning to take a stranglehold on modern job search and become the primary channel to getting a job, rather than job boards. This is a scary thought for the unconnected job seeker. I am not scaremongering though just look at these statistics which show just how powerful a catalystan employee referral is to the job search.Lets start with some stats from the almighty U.S. Department of La bor, which reveal that a massive 48 percent of jobs never actually make it to job boards and are advertised through the secret job market, known as word-of-mouth/employee referrals.Does this sound hard to be believe? Well another study by Jobvite suggests that employee referrals account for 44 percent of hires and a further study by CareerXRoads puts this figure at 28 percent and in both situations, referrals are the no. 1 route to a job, being more influential than the almighty job boards.So, as you can see, the most effective methodfor job seekers to identify and find job opportunities may not be through jobs boards, but by getting a referral from a friend.But, getting a referral does not only increase your chance of locating an opportunity, it also increases your chance of getting invited to interview and getting hired having landed an interview. Yes, research shows that employers favor candidates who have come recommended by a present employee (the more exalted the employee, t he better). In particular, aFederal Reserve Bank of New York Study showed that candidates who had been referred were twice as likely to land an interview and had a 40 percent greater chance of being selected for the job than non-referred candidates.For me, its case closed. While you should in no way ignore job boards, it seems that the best way to actually get a job is to get referred by a friend and, therefore, job seekers should be rebalancing their job search activity and focusing much these on finding referrals to point them to jobs that may not be advertised or to vouch for their application and boost their hire-ability. I hear you thats easier said than done. Well, there are ways that people on the outside can find and exploit employee referrals and fast track into their employer of choice. I have outlined three tips on how to do this belowFocus on employers where you have inside contacts and ask them if they know of any openings and/or if they will vouch for your application. Prior to making a job application, check LinkedIn and Facebook to see if you have any contacts at the firm, and ask if you can include their anthroponym as a referral on your application.Network at industry events where you know that representatives from your favorite employers will be and pitch yourself to them and angle to see if there are any opportunities they can refer or recommend you too.Good luck with finding your next opportunity

New year, new you How to chase fun in 5 easy steps

New year, new you How to chase fun in 5 easy stepsNew year, new you How to chase fun in 5 easy stepsAll work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. In other words, if you dont play you become boring. This is why it is critical to chase fun.I choose the word chase because fun is elend something we typically prioritize in our lives and go after. In general, our culture rewards hard work, results and achievements. Our lives get so busy and our to do lists grow so long that we never feel we can take the time to relax and play guilt-free. The constant demands for productivity at work and home push us to create routines for efficiency. And while these routines may create calm, they can also create mobedrngnisony and dullness. Our fun activities can become so choreographed and scheduled that the excitement and joy gets extinguished.At first glance, most people think their lives are relatively fun. They have dinners with friends, see shows and movies, have hobbies and attend events that make the m feel like theyve had a good time. While all of that is fine on paper, it doesnt necessarily translate to real fun. I mean the type of fun that makes you laugh til your belly hurts, makes you feel young, renewed and energized, pushes you out of your comfort zone and brings real joy to your soul. This is the kind of play that builds new synapses in your brain, makes you feel alive and increases your endorphins.Real fun moves you and changes you in positive ways. It not only makes you happy, it makes you interesting - not just to others, but to yourself.This issue has been coming up in coaching more than ever. I have started to coach people on the importance of play because so many adults have lost the art of it, and sometimes even the interest. Their deficiency here makes them rigid, unimaginative, and boring.The importance of play has been widely researched. According to Sergio Pellis, from the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, play is essential to brain development. For childr en, free play can be more important than time spent in the classroom. Through play, children learn empathy, how to communicate with others, make plans, problem solve androll with the punches.Play is also one of the key ingredients to happiness. Studies have shown that the absence of feeling bad isnt enough to make you happy. In other words, not being miserable doesnt mean youre happy. In fact, many people look at their lives and think its good enough, which is a mindset killer for play and a fun-filled life.Here is a guide to help you reinvigorate your life and get it back on the fun trackDistinguish real fun from fake fun Be honest with yourself Just because you are relaxing or participating in an activity doesnt mean its fun. Furthermore, what was once fun might not still be fun now. Dont just fill up your time, do something really rewarding.Do something new Get out of your routine and seek an adventure. Travel to a new destination and experience a different culture or pick up a n ew activity. Start a new sport, game or language and if possible make it competitive. Join a league so you are forced to practice and get better at your skill.Be spontaneous Sometimes its the safety and predictability of life that traps us. Some of the best times in life happen by accident. Get into flow by allowing a playful moment to evolve organically.Recruit Others As Mark Twain once said, To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with. Convince your spouse, friends or family to get on board and make play fun. Real joy comes from sharing your life with the people you love. Especially old friends who connect you back to memories, humor, and emotions from your past.Move out of your comfort zone Dont assume that fun is supposed to be easy. Sometimes fun is doing the things that are really hard and that take time and effort. Part of the fun is the challenge. Push yourself to take your game to the next level. Set goals and experience the satisfaction that come s from the process of working toward them.The importance of seeking fun cannot be undervalued. Look at your life and redefine your meaning of fun and play. Dont be overwhelmed if the answers dont come immediately. Practice chasing fun and remember happiness is not the absence of feeling bad it comes from striving to feel good. In the words of Dr. Seuss, If you never did, you should. These things are fun and fun is good.Liz Bentley is the founder of Liz Bentley Associates.