Ross Cavanaugh’s Post

📢Attention Life Science Hiring Managers 📢 How many CV's do you skip past because of time spent in a job? As an industry we are going through some tough times (but we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel 🔦 ) We are all aware that layoffs are happening left, right and centre, from the big companies through to the small companies Yet, we still have this mindset that if someone has jumped jobs for the last two years we automatically disregard them from moving them to the interview stage 🤐 But there could be so many reasons for this, maybe they had family problems, maybe they were laid off, maybe they were in a contract position, maybe just maybe they have a legitimate reason - so shall we stop judging a book by its cover? Mass layoffs are usually no ones fault, so let's stop making it harder for people that have been laid off to get a new job. Candidates, to give yourself the best fighting chance do not be afraid to put in your resume why you had that career break, or why you were at a company for less than a year - transparency is key 🗝 Recruiters, if you know the reasons they have left (which we should) - make sure you make the company aware of why this has happened. As an industry, lets work together to ensure that people that are affected by layoffs can find new jobs and not judged like a book cover. 📚

It's a tough market right now and more and more news seems to be hitting headlines and our feeds every day with layoffs and reductions. I do want to provide advice to any job seekers currently which is to be INTENTIONAL with your application. I am continuing to see a pattern where candidates seem to think that applying to a wide spectrum of positions at their company of interest, will increase their chances of getting an initial interview. Maybe.... as long as you apply to positions you are qualified for. 🎯 From a talent professional's perspective, applying to numerous positions you are also NOT qualified for opens doors in my mind about a candidate's emotional intelligence I would have much rather left closed. "I applied to several positions because I just wanted you to know I am REALLY interested in your company". I love the passion and enthusiasm, but ONE application already informs me you're interested in our company. Applying to 5, 10, or even 15+ positions is the equivalent of shouting in our ear when you could have just spoken with your normal vocal timbre. Be intentional. Be deliberate. This goes a long way for recruiters and we already appreciate it!

I NEED A JOB, plain and simple and most importantly - TO THE POINT! It's been 4 LONG months since being laid off and with each passing day, it's becoming harder to be "seen". As the number of layoffs are increasing, it seems. I've done everything I know to do - network, apply for jobs, revamp my resume, change the wording on my LinkedIn profile to be more available for AI purposes, reach out to recruiters and a multitude of other things. Being humble is not hard for me, I am willing to work outside of my field - doing whatever it takes - just to be an employed individual in our society. I know I'm not the only individual facing this dilemma, and for the ones still facing this, I understand the heartbreak and you are not alone. Luke 11:9 “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” May all that have fallen on hard times find work very soon. And by reading this, you know that you're not alone in the struggle to find employment. #keepthefaith 💯

Spray and pray is NOT the way.💡 As much as we'd like to help every candidate that comes our way, we're ultimately paid to deliver specific shortlists to our clients. With limited time in the day, responding to unsuitable candidates would put us out of business. We understand that the job market is tough, and our hearts go out to those impacted by layoffs. We see many posts about candidates applying to numerous live roles, with little to no response. But sending more applications doesn't increase your chances of landing a role. 💹 The market is awash with great talent, and companies are changing their minds like this great British weather, so now is the time to be more measured and targeted with your job hunt. A good example can be seen below, out of 965 applications we received for a role, only 2 had the required experience and 963 were rejected by a cold auto-reject feature on LinkedIn. 🤦♂️ Instead, why not try this: ✔build a target list ✔engage with hiring managers ✔tailor your message for specific roles ✔explain how you can add value and solve pain points for clients. ✔leverage mutual contacts ✔have a clear follow-up process in place. Tough times call for a refined outreach process. DO NOT MASS APPLY to vacancies without understanding if you represent a match. And above all else, stick with it. The market will bounce back. 🙏🙏🙏

I read a comment on LinkedIn the other day comfortably sharing how their job application should take a candidate roughly 45 minutes to fill out. Now imagine being on the job market, knowing old research shows it takes an average of 21 to *80* job applications to get a single job. And I imagine the # of applications each candidate has to fill out is only increasing amidst industry layoffs. Earlier this year, Ashby even released new findings that inbound applications tripled in 2024. And our latest report published just today, which overall focuses on Offer Acceptance Rates, shows that inbound as a source of hires is rapidly increasing for business roles (see chart). So no matter what way you look at it, candidates are applying to more roles than ever before while stressed about securing a job. Requiring an extensive, 45-minute application as the very first step seems like a great way to miss out on qualified talent and highlight a lack of empathy in the current market. Link to the new Ashby OAR Report: https://hubs.li/Q02ys9F10

YOU'RE DOING JUST FINE. ✔ You're feeling the sting of job application rejections. ✔ You're grappling with the impact of layoffs and the economic slump. ✔ You're dealing with the challenge of not securing a job yet. I get it – your job hunt is stretching out longer than expected. You're exhausted and feeling the burnout. Your confidence might waver during interviews. But let's look at what's really happening in the job market now: ✔ "The average hiring time in 2023 is now around 44 days." ✔ There's fierce competition, particularly in the tech sector. ✔ Job openings are getting swamped as layoffs have almost doubled the competition. ✔ The increase in 'ghost jobs' that never seem to get filled. ✔ The use of AI in job applications can lead to quick rejections. "Your value isn't measured by the challenges you encounter, but by your resilience in facing them." REMEMBER, YOU'RE DOING JUST FINE.

Friday fixes for frustrated jobseekers If you have been looking for a job for 1-6 months read on. Today is for you Your job loss maybe due to: Layoffs due to business being down new software that reduced the number of people needed you quit due to a bad work environment You can't fix any of these things. What you can fix is how you look at where you are going. Ask yourself this question over the weekend because this is the main thing employers want to know about you: What did I do in my last job that counted? Specifically, what did I do to either increase business or efficiency or reduce costs? THIS IS WHY SOMEONE NEW NEEDS YOU. Now, over the weekend develop an answer with words everyone understands and is no more than 2 short sentences. This is the value you bring to someone new. It's your why me! It's the reason applicants get interviews and offers. PM me if you want me to show you how to do it and you will be amazed the confidence it gives you. I hope this helped. #jobs #careerchange #coaching

Matt Shiring I'm reposting this for reach. There are several reasons for the difficulties in finding jobs these days. This is an all-too-familiar story and will only get worse as our economy continues to erode. The ways we used to do things are changing. Process Improvements are being addressed with AI now, and many jobs we used to do will disappear. You may need to learn additional skills and get certified in something that will continue to exist alongside AI. It's not a popular topic, but AI is here, and we either embrace it and learn to work with it or keep adding numbers to the days we're unemployed. I am speaking from experience, and I have age working against me. At least you're still young. If I can do it, you can! I was not employed for 320 days from last March 1st - Jan 15th of this year. I have found that my network is the most reliable thing I have. That is the only way I have found my last several jobs. I wish you the best. DM me if you have any questions about learning AI.

Hi Dear Folks, This post is not related to a job, but it concerns a thought that I would like to share here. As you all must be aware, there have been significant layoffs already and they are still happening. People are struggling immensely to secure a job, and at the same time, recruiters are putting their best efforts into finding the right position where your skills will be a better fit. Personally, for me, if any of my candidates get an offer, it feels like I got the offer :). You have no idea how much effort we put into getting a placement for you. I have a request for a few of the folks who have just become available in the job market, only for the sake of testing the market or their market value. You're wasting everyone's efforts, time, and emotions, from the recruiter to the hiring manager, whosoever is involved in between. And in the end, you just decline the offer by giving silly excuses. Because of you, many candidates who actually need that position and are well deserving for the role keep applying for jobs and struggling immensely. I kindly request people who are in my connections and if you are working with me to find you the best opportunity, please don't agree to or submit to jobs just to test your value or the market scenario. If you genuinely need a job, I will put every effort into getting you there. 🙏 🙏 🙏

Many of us have been laid off due to the current economic situation, and we are all experiencing the same frustrations. Like Carolina, I have been silent for a long time, but I feel that it is essential to let our community know that WE need help! It's the end of the 1st quarter and it seems it's more difficult now to get a job than ever before. During this journey, I have met many people who have offered various suggestions, such as "Get a Coach (for a fee)," "Rebrand and Update your LinkedIn profile," "Send a message to the job poster," and "Use other resources besides LinkedIn to find your next job." While these resources are helpful, some have shared that they have tried everything and are still struggling to find employment. It can be frustrating that recruiters often express interest in candidates and their backgrounds, but for some unknown reason, they fail to follow up and work with the candidates. Recruiters: please stop doing this and communicate with the candidates! Now, I understand that the job search process can be mentally and physically challenging. However, I urge you not to lose hope and stay focused on finding your next employment opportunity. Remember that there are kind-hearted individuals who are willing to assist you without expecting anything in return. Recruiters: Reach out to candidates TODAY, as You could be the Joy that fills their Hearts, by getting them a Job, that will help them Survive!