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Step 1
One question that comes up a lot is “Should I post my resume on Monster, Career Builder and other job board sites? The answer depends on your career stage, and career goals.
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I’m Paula Rutledge – President of Legacy MedSearch, a retained executive search firm working exclusively in emerging medical technology with another "Medical Career Magazine" .
So – should you add your resume to the millions of others already on-line? If you’re an early career stage person – I’d say “why not?” You get a lot of exposure and your resume may find it’s way into a database which results in an interview.
However, if you’re well into your career, have developed a solid reputation and intend to stay in the same general field, there may be some reasons why you wouldn’t want to have your credentials on a shelf where anyone could access your information. -
Step 2
First – You want to be discrete about your job search if you’re currently employed. Many companies set up “Search Agents” to find candidates on job boards – so, your information may be accessed by a current – or future employer – who may wonder why your “advertising” your availability. While you may be able to explain that your resume was posted a while back or that you didn’t realize it was still “live” – it still may plant a seed of doubt and there may be some hesitation to promote you, or put you on a new project.
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Step 3
Second – If you ARE actively looking, you don’t want to give the appearance that you’re “shopworn.” Not too long ago we had a promising candidate for a VP spot at a top med device company. He was a solid fit, interviewed well and in the sweet spot in terms of experience. He was one interview away from an offer – when the Director of HR called me and told me to pull him from the search. I asked why, and he said that the candidate was “plastered all over the internet.” Apparently, he had done a resume blast through a service and that his resume had shown up on the HR Director’s fax machine just that morning. Paula, the Director said, we don’t want a guy who is so indiscriminate that his resume could very well be in the hands of our strategic partners and competitors… we would look like a laughing stock.
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Step 4
Third – If you’re at a high enough level to have earned the respect of your current company – then networking may be your best bet. Are you in the midst of managing your career as opposed to just “finding a job?” If so, then you want to network with a few headhunters who will not only keep you informed about those jobs that are never posted, but who will be your advocate, your sounding board, your “insider” into your next career opportunity.
What about the sights that are confidential or fee based to the candidate such as The Ladders and Execunet? Those are probably a safer bet –especially if you’re in an active job search or unemployed. Just keep your company name referenced by industry and type – such as “$27M Radiotherapy business” or “Minimally Invasive Surgical Sports Medicine company” in case your current employer has a hook in the water. -
Step 5
Finally, do be discrete. I talked to a very senior sales executive a few months ago who was bewildered when he was let go – despite a long and successful career with fairly small, privately held niche orthopedic company. I asked him what had happened… and he said that their Human Resources Manager had run across his resume while looking for candidates on Monster. “Were you actively looking at the time? I asked? Not really – I just wanted to keep my ear to the ground in case something of interest turned up. But my company felt totally betrayed and felt that with some new products in the pipeline, they just couldn’t trust me to be a long term employee.”
So, if you chose to post your information – remember that what happens in cyberspace… stays in cyberspace… for a long, long time.
So that’s this issue of Medical Career Magazine
Sponsored by Legacy MedSearch. Don’t forget to check out our forum www.medicaldeviceguru.com or our website at www.LegacyMedSearch.com for some more great tips.!
