When it comes to your online therapy job search, you may be finding yourself frustrated, maybe even a bit burned out. There are too many applications and emails to count, but still no online therapy job. Or perhaps you had interviews, only to suffer the disappointment of being knocked out at the end. Beginning to sound familiar? Maybe you are wondering if there is a way to revitalize that job search and start to feel alive again. Keep reading.
1. Outreach – Call an Old Supervisor?
Did you ever consider meeting with a former supervisor or boss (if you are still on good speaking terms)? Reconnecting with past employers can be a great tactic to “get you back in the game.” Supervisors talk to other supervisors, and business owners talk to other business owners. Even if you wouldn’t consider returning to your previous boss, he or she could still be of help. He or she could provide a letter of recommendation or even avail you of his or her network to land a new online therapy job.
2. Podcast – Are you stagnating?
The next time you are in the car why not listen to a podcast instead of listening to that song again for the hundredth time? There are so many podcasts out there that could help you with advancing your career, such as Monster’s Jobsessed podcast series. Who said that just because you don’t have a job that you can’t continue to learn and grow?
3. Resume – Your Black Hole?
Did you know that most recruiters will scan your resume for less than 10 seconds to decide whether or not you are worthy of an interview? While you may be certain that your resume is now perfect after your many hours of editing, you will only know for sure after you submit it for independent evaluation. This could be either by a professional or any competent adult who is willing to scan for less than 30 seconds and give you a candid, specific critique.
However, there may be another serious problem with your resume. In what language did you write it? If you wrote, “A dedicated professional driven and focused on the bottom-line results,” you haven’t said very much, and you can be sure it will be discarded. Make it human and distinguish yourself. Something like, “I’m a Salesperson with a penchant for developing strong and sincere customer relationships that reach beyond any particular sale”––that stands out!
4. Cover Letter – Will it Land You the Online Therapy Job?
Since we are all creatures of habit, after we have seen something once it’s hard to give it our full attention afterward. What about if we have seen it hundreds of times? Now you know how the hiring manager looks at your cover letter. Don’t expect a busy hiring manager to pay attention to anything you say in the letter, because the format itself is lifeless.
But there is another way. You can write a Pain Letter to any manager at any time, even before he posts the job. A Pain Letter addresses Business Pain and provides an excellent segue for you to get face time with the manager.
What is Business Pain? It comes in many forms. The common denominator is that any problem that stymies an owner, supervisor, or manager from realizing the goals of his job is Business Pain. It could be losing market share or employees, or the business having trouble scaling its product or service. Just look around, and you will find Business Pain everywhere!
When you write your letter to land that online therapy job, the recruiter doesn’t care about your knowledge, credentials or experience unless it is relevant to relieving his pain. If you can articulate a hypothesis as to why he is suffering that pain with sensitivity and insight, and then briefly share a story illustrating how you solved that pain in the past, you have his attention.
People who are in pain have a limited focus. Essentially they are only interested in relief, whether it’s morphine, a hug, a loan, or the plumber showing up to fix the leak. So the next time you sit down to pen that letter, think carefully beforehand.
What you write may make all the difference!
