614: Get Hired by Your Ideal Workplace (Without Applying to 200 Jobs)

Jenna Bias 00:00

I realized it wasn't so much important of, like, what my next career title was gonna be, but it was more important for me what I wanted in a company.

Introduction 00:10

This is the Happen To Your Career podcast with Scott Anthony Barlow. We hope you stop doing work that doesn't fit you, figure out what does, and make it happen.

Scott Anthony Barlow 00:23

The great application myth tells us that more is better. Apply to 100 jobs, get 10 interviews, receive one offer. But what if this common wisdom was completely backwards? What if focusing on fewer companies dramatically increases your chances doing work that fits or higher pay? When you stop being a resume flinging machine and start being a relationship building human, everything changes. The path to your ideal workplace isn't paved with generic applications. It's built on targeted connections and the courage to go all in on what truly fits.

Jenna Bias 00:58

For some people, getting specific on your role could help. But for me, getting specific on the company is what helped most. But either way, I think getting specific is what's going to give you clarity, and it's going to allow you to get to the place that where I was, where I was putting all my eggs in one basket because I knew it was the right fit, rather than posting up on LinkedIn job boards and Indeed, and just putting your resume out there for umpteen places like that has minimal effect.

Scott Anthony Barlow 01:29

That's Jenna Bias. Jenna was an RN who had worked as a bedside nurse for her entire career, and let's just say that it was no longer a fit. When she began to reach the point of burnout, she knew that in order to find fulfillment in her career, she needed to switch industries. Jenna began really digging into what she wanted and what she needed out of her next career, and narrowed down her search to just a handful of organizations, just a couple of companies that she was really excited about. She then went above and beyond in her attempts to build relationships with people at those top target organizations. In this episode, we're gonna break down what she did to go from unsure of where she fits to honing in on her dream organization and ultimately getting the offer she wanted. You're even gonna hear her talking about the strategy of using a video messaging tool called loom to reach out to multiple people at this company, including the CEO. Her persistence and determination ultimately got her out of bedside nursing and into a role as an onboarding manager with her ideal company. One of the most powerful things Jenna did, shift her focus from job titles to finding the right company environment. She discovered that getting clear on what types of companies she wanted to work for was way more important than the specific role that she'd type in for job search.

Jenna Bias 02:50

I got so lost in all the possibilities of different career types, and didn't know which one was going to be a good fit for me. And it wasn't until we kind of took the title, I guess, the career title off the table that I finally started to get some clarity. So I realized it wasn't so much important of like, what my next career title was going to be, but it was more important for me what I wanted in a company. So I got really specific about that. I knew I wanted to work still within the health space. I always loved, like, more of the functional medicine side, compared to the conventional medicine world that I was working in, in the hospital. I wanted a company that was having, like, impact on people, that was like, making a difference for the better. It was a big thing for me was, yes, I was working in a hospital setting and, "helping people", but it was a bit of a broken system, and there's much like a revolving door kind of analogy with the hospital. So moving forward, I really wanted a company that, you know, had a truly positive impact on people. I got really specific on the type of culture I wanted to be in, some ideals, but not deal breakers was types of schedule I, you know, was kind of intrigued by this whole work from home wave with COVID. And I like the flexibility of it. And I really wanted a big thing for me was autonomy in my role as a nurse, you're kind of blinded by the red tape of a hospital, and it dictates your day. I really wanted a role where I could, kind of like lead myself and have responsibilities that I took care of on my own. So none of those things point to one role, right? But you could theoretically find companies that really emphasize those things or prioritize those things.

Scott Anthony Barlow 04:44

Once Jenna had identified what she was looking for in a company, well, she didn't just start firing off applications. Instead, she invested significant time researching her target organizations. This helped her build genuine connections later on when she eventually reached out.

Jenna Bias 05:02

I think the first part, which I kind of touched on, was like, just doing a ton of research, and that honestly came from, like, just my natural interest in the company. But I think in the long term: A, it helped me realize, yes, this is where I want to be. And B, it just helped me foster those relationships down the road, because I was genuinely interested in these people that I was talking to. I knew about them, I knew about the company, so that just helped be more candid down the line, because I didn't feel like I was like meeting strangers. First, it just started out as company research, and then it kind of led to, you know, my CEO is... so the company is technically like a startup. They've been around for a couple years now, but because they're a startup, kind of, based in San Francisco, in a very, what's the word, they're in the functional medicine space, right? So it's a very upcoming topic that's on the rise. So because of that, Rupa has been mentioned on several other podcasts. My CEO has been on several other podcasts. So just one step of research led to another, and I found myself just learning a lot about the company that way.

Scott Anthony Barlow 06:06

In a world where everyone sends emails and just clicks the button to send online applications, Jenna knew that she was going to need to do something different, something very different, to stand out. The solution we worked with her on was brilliant in its simplicity– individualized video messages that allowed her personality to shine through.

Jenna Bias 06:25

I think too, the fear that goes along with it is like, oh, the potential of them not responding, which: A, I realize now it really doesn't matter. They get so much influx of information. It's like, "Who cares if they don't respond?" But for me, my CEO did end up acknowledging my video, and just sent me like a very like simple email back, like, telling me good luck on the interview process. And from there, I ended up applying to, I think, four different times through a few different roles, and every step of the way, I just shot her an email updating her on my journey, and she responded to every single email, not, you know, being like, nothing like extraordinary, but just the response in itself was like, to me, again, just exemplified this is a company I want to work for. Here's this busy CEO taking time out of her day to just shoot me a quick email acknowledging the work that I'm putting in to try and be a part of her organization. And then, yeah, as far as applying to multiple roles, it just came down to, I knew this is the company I wanted to work for. So again, rather than spreading myself then across different companies, I was like, no, I'm just going to focus here. And even though I actually got denied initially for my current role, obviously, in the end, it ended up paying off. I applied the second time, and I think a large part of that was because I had already touched base with the hiring manager. We did already kind of have that rapport.

Scott Anthony Barlow 07:51

If it's not already obvious, rejection is a very normal part of any job search. Actually, when I get rejections, or when our clients get rejections, I tend to look at it as, "Okay. That means I'm one step closer to getting where I want to go." But the important part here is what you do after you're rejected, and this can set you apart. Jenna shares how her persistence and continued relationship building eventually led to success, even when she first got turned down for the role.

Jenna Bias 08:20

Yeah, and I think this is valuable for people who are "switching industries", which I was. A big, like, limiting belief for me was, you know, why, especially in this industry, and I was like, why would they want to hire a nurse? Like, my job is so different. And on paper, I'm missing some key things that they're looking for. And I think to an extent that is true, like there is certain things that they are hiring for in their new candidate. And I think the first time around, they found that candidate who had all those things, things that I, you know, no matter how long of a nurse I was, I was never going to have, because they were totally out of my realm. But in the second time around, I think they're a little bit more lenient on what things are willing to give up in hiring a candidate, because I'm exemplifying so much else in staying consistent with applying, building these relationships, staying committed to the company. I think those things like speak volume, and so I think they knew that I was a good enough fit, even without maybe some of those key bullet points on the application because of the actions I was doing.

Scott Anthony Barlow 09:31

Kind of an interesting note here. When I asked Jenna what advice she'd give to others who are looking to make a similar change, she emphasized two critical factors that made all the difference in her own journey.

Jenna Bias 09:43

Yeah, I think a few things, like, I kind of touched on this before, but getting specific whether I mean, like I said, I think for some people, getting specific on your role could help. But for me, getting specific on the company is what helped most. But either way, I think getting specific is what's going to give you clarity, and it's going to allow you to get to the place that where I was, where I was putting all my eggs in one basket, because I knew it was the right fit, rather than posting up on LinkedIn job boards and Indeed, and just putting your resume out there for umpteen places like that has minimal effect. And I think people do that because they're not really sure what they want. They're not, they're not specific, so they're just kind of, like hoping something's gonna stick. It's just not a very effective approach. So I think once you get specific, you're able to kind of hone in on how you can be effective in getting the role you want. And then I think, which is funny coming for me, because I'm not typically this type of person, but like being different, getting outside of your comfort zone, and kind of thinking outside the box, I had only ever applied to nursing jobs. That was the only career before this, and it's very cut and dry. It's very much, "Do you have the licensing? Do you live in the area? Do you have all the educational components?" It's not about creating relationships. It's not about putting yourself out there. So I didn't know that this whole side of the application process existed and was so impactful. But it is. It's like, when you go on LinkedIn or on job boards and you look at a job and you see, "Oh, 300 applicants." Like, for me, that was always really off putting, because I'm just like, "Okay, I'm just one person. I'm just one application." Which you are. You are just one application. So if all you're doing is submitting your application, you're probably not going to get it. Just the odds are not in your favor, right? So I think in this job market and in today's day and age with just how like innovative people are, like you have to do something different if you want to get to where you want to be.

Scott Anthony Barlow 11:50

What Jenna did wasn't just about landing a job. It was about completely rewriting the rules of her job search. She took control instead of sending applications into the void, she did so by building real connections. This allowed her to not settle and instead focus on where she actually wanted to be. Oh, and when she did face rejection, she didn't slink away. Instead, she asked for feedback. She strengthened those relationships and positioned herself as the obvious choice when the next opportunity arose. Her willingness to stand out, using video and thoughtful research, turned her from just another applicant into somebody the company already knew. What I love most about Jenna's approach, it's accessible to anyone. You don't actually need special connections or credentials to stand out. You just need clarity about what you want and the courage to go after it in a thoughtful relationship focused away. Okay, if you're ready to stop doing the whole numbers game and move your job search into a targeted relationship building process, we'd love to help. Just drop me an email, Scott@happentoyourcareer.com put 'Conversation' in the subject line, and I'll connect you with the right person on our team who can help with your unique situation. That's Scott@happentoyourcareer.com. Remember the path to work that fits isn't about how many applications you submit, it's about finding the right fit and then showing up as your authentic self to build connections that matter.

Scott Anthony Barlow 13:14

Hey, I want to point out that if you're absolutely loving some of these tips and strategies, then hit the subscribe or follow button, and then, that way, every time we release an episode, you can get notified. All right, here's what's coming up on the next episode of Happen To Your Career.

Speaker 3 13:31

I was quite disillusioned very quickly, and felt like I had made the biggest mistake of my life by becoming a nurse, even though this is something I had worked for. You know, it took me years to do the prerequisite courses and get prepared.