Why the Hiring Process Needs More Snails, and Other Introvert Job Search Tips

If you long for the days when you wrote a cover letter to an actual person, printed out your resume on fancy paper, and put both in a matching envelope before – wait for it – adding a stamp and mailing it via (gasp) snail mail, there’s a good chance: You're probably of a certain age You think applicant tracking systems are synonymous with black holes You've heard about video interviews and decided you hate them on principle You think robo-recruiting only happens in sci-fi movies The hiring process may be broken, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t figure out a way around it. In this episode, we talk about the ways that introverts can tackle the ins and outs of the modern hiring process, and even though Rebecca is the one advocating for snails to return to their former glory as postal workers, Kari’s the real reason why this podcast went off the rails (not). So what’s the big deal about referrals? If you’re looking for a new job, there’s a good chance you’ve heard that the best way to find one is by networking to get a referral. For introverts, hearing the word networking might just be the equivalent of scraping your nails across a chalkboard. In this podcast, we talk about the pros and cons on hiring by referral—and getting hired as a referral. Are job seekers part of the problem? Today we can apply to a job with a click of a button from LinkedIn, forcing companies to wade through hundreds of applicants for a single job posting! It’s no wonder that a referral from a current employee can help get you in the door – it saves recruiters time sifting through oodles of data. The whole conversation leaves Rebecca daydreaming about snails carrying the mail until Kari squashes them and gets the podcast back on track. Do interviews really matter? While most introverts may dread interviewing, many companies are waking up to the fact that even with a referral, one interview isn’t always enough to ensure a good fit. This is ultimately good news for anxious or nervous introverts who don’t perform well under pressure or have trouble connecting on a personal level with an interviewer. Knowledge is power! Tune in to hear about the research and learn about ways introverts can circumvent the issues of the modern job search—without using snails or applicant tracking systems. Stuff we talked about: Eight Most Important Employee Referral Statistics The Truth About Employee Referrals 60 Hiring Statistics You Need to Know "Death by HR" HireVue, Video Interviews, and AI Job Searches