Initial Jobless Claims Up–your Job Search Strategy Matters

Sadly, the number of people filing new claims for unemployment insurance rose to 462,000 in the latest week. This was a higher-than-expected number. According to the US Department of Labor:

In the week ending Oct. 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 462,000, an increase of 13,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 449,000. The 4-week moving average was 459,000, an increase of 2,250 from the previous week’s revised average of 456,750.

People are out of work and it’s just not getting better. Are you one of those people looking for a job? Maybe you need to change your strategy in your job search.

Companies screen applicants on at least two levels. First, they evaluate the candidate’s fit for the job. When evaluating an applicant for job fit, companies consider these questions: Does this person have the knowledge and skills necessary for this job? What past experiences have prepared the applicant for the job? Do the strengths of the applicant match the requirements for the job? Will this person be sufficiently challenged doing this work?

But more and more organizations are adding a second layer of questioning: the candidate’s fit with the culture of the organization. When evaluating an applicant for culture fit, companies think about these questions: Is the culture of our company a fit for this applicant? Is the work of our organization something that is meaningful to the applicant? Are the applicant’s values in harmony with the values of the organization?

How well a job candidate fits the culture of a workplace can make the difference between job search success and failure. Those candidates selected on the basis of culture fit—in addition to job fit—will contribute faster, perform better and stay longer with the organization. Where culture fit is neglected, the burden is shared by both the employee and the company. Working at a company with values inconsistent with yours can be difficult, stressful and unrewarding.

Your values are difficult to change. As you experience situations that conflict with your values, you discover how important values are. Working in a company with a different set of values from your own can be frustrating and exhausting. When you are not a fit with the culture of an organization, that fit cannot easily be altered through training and development. It’s just not the right place for you and not the right life for you to live.

Organizations are screening job candidates for culture fit. Don’t you think you should be evaluating that fit as well? Use culture to help you decide where you will achieve the greatest sense of fulfillment in your work. Understanding the culture of a workplace can guide you in finding where you will flourish and be happy going to work each day. And, when you find the company that is a fit, you will have the knowledge to sell yourself on multiple levels. You can share not only how your experience and strengths position you for the job, but also how you are a fit with the culture of the company. With this added knowledge, you can standout and be the candidate that gets the job.

Don’t let these jobless claims numbers scare you. Just be more prepared when you do your next interview. Show the company how you are a fit with the job and the culture.