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Cookie Cutters are for Baking…Not Job Searching!

October 7, 2009 by sparktalk 

By J.T. O’Donnell

Two of my career coaching friends, Miriam Salpeter and Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter have started a program where a collective group of coaches can offer advice on a certain topic. This is the first question they put out there for us to answer, “What can job seekers do to avoid falling in the ‘cookie cutter’ job search mode?”

Cookie Cutter Job Search…”What’s that?”

It’s when we are going through the motions without really stepping back and asking ourselves:

A) Am I doing this effectively (i.e. getting results)?

B) Is this technique even worth doing for my type of job search?

I think many of us coaches can agree that all too often we see a well-intentioned job seeker on autopilot. And unfortunately, in  job search that leads to a crash landing. No two people are the same. Which means, no two job searches should be the same either!

To break out of a cookie cutter job search, I always suggest you start by changing your perspective. Here are several articles that speak to the need of reassessing your situation and trying new and/or better job search activities. Remember, just like anything, you want to work smarter, not harder!

My Response to An Angry Job Seeker: There’s a Difference Between ‘Following’ and ‘Learning’

8 Golden Rules to Getting a Job in a Bad Economy

Job Seekers: Are YOU on a Road to Nowhere?!

For those of you guilty of the cookie cutter job search, I encourage you to identify 3 ways you can change up your approach in order to get different, and hopefully, better results.

AND, if you’d like to see how other experts answered this question, check out these posts below:

Conscious awareness and your job hunt

Sabotaging Your Prospects: Cookie-cutter Style

http://emergingprofessional.typepad.com/the_emerging_professional/2009/10/cookie_cutter.html

Job seekers: Break out of the mold!

Is your job search “cookie-cutter” or “hand-dropped”?

Being a Cookie-Cutter Job Seeker is a Misfortune

How Not to Be a Cookie Cutter Job Seeker

http://careertrend.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/eating-bananas-doesnt-make-you-an-ape/
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Filed Under: Career Advice (Articles), Job Search Tactics
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Comments

  • Very true. Jobseekers on autopilot sitting back, uploading resume, hitting the submit button and waiting has become a thing of the past! Increased competition demands doing something proactive and different from competitor candidates!
  • dawnbugni
    Great questions for today's job seeker. Great challenge too. Perspective is key, as is the ability differentiate from the rest of the pack. Marvelous information, as always, J.T.
  • Hi JT,

    Great to see these posts from other career collective members!

    Here's mine:
    Career By Choice's Expat Success Tips: Ongoing Career Management is No Longer Optional for the Expat in Today's New World of Work http://bit.ly/lJYDi

    I look forward to exploring future career collective topics with you!

    Best,

    Megan
  • JT - I agree that job seekers need to stop and evaluate what the are doing. I always say, "If you've been doing the same thing and not getting results, it's time for something new!" Autopilot is never a good mode for job seekers or professionals at any stage of their careers!

    Thanks for partnering with us on the Career Collective! Together, we will continue to share great advice for our readers!
  • barbarasafani
    JT,

    Yep, everyone wants easy. Job boards are easy. And it looks like you are working on your search. But you aren't. Creative job search is much harder, but more rewarding and in the long run a faster route to your next job.
  • As always, you've identified what the problem is and given some good ideas for how to solve it! Autopilot only works if you're trying to get to the same place and you know this will take you there!
  • jacquipoindexter
    JT,
    Great article that is 'on point!.' I particularly like how you started with an explanation of what a cookie-cutter approach is! Many times, people are anxiously creating bland, generic resumes and slapping them up onto job boards without consideration whether this method gets results, among other me-too search methods. Effective job search methods vary depending on the individual's situation and goals. Thus, techniques and resume strategies must be custom-tailored.

    Great suggestions, JT! Thank you for your insight and partnership in the Career Collective!

    Jacqui
  • laurieberenson
    Well said, JT! I don't think some jobseekers realize they are on autopilot, but it's true. As Barbara Safani notes, it takes more effort to conduct a creative job search, but the reward is in the results.
  • Still too many job seekers using Careerbuilder and Monster exclusively and wonder why they look up after 6 months with no offers. Yes, you need to break out of the mold. You need to diversify your career search just like your stock portfolio (if you still have one). Commercial job boards do have value, but only as one piece of an integrated Career Search. Putting all your eggs in the Careerbuilder basket will yield the same results as "post and pray" Recruiters on the other side of the equation.
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