Eric Schlesinger, the former Senior Director of Human Resources at the World Bank (and my good friend) says that most new hires are found in a way that’s completely opposite of what most people would think. He calls it the “Inverted Pyramid of Hiring.”
Figure 1.1. The Inverted Pyramid of Hiring
Given this hiring structure, Schlesinger has this advice for job seekers:
- 80% of vacancies are not advertised, so the best way to find job openings and get an interview is to network. The best people to network with are the Four F’s: Friends, Family, Faculty, and Former employers.
- Do not focus on job listings. You can apply to these, but they represent only 20% of current vacancies.
- Once you get an interview, remember that the employer is not really interested in what they can do for you; rather, they want to know what you can do for them. You should be able to say, “I see you have a problem. I can solve it.”
- While you are in college, get as many internships as you can. Career counselors say that 80% of internships lead to a full-time job offer.