Is free advice really free if it extends your search? There are countless, well-meaning, but inexperienced coaches who do not have a LinkedIn Recruiter or even a premium LinkedIn account, nor an Applicant Tracking System to test resumes, nor do they have any current, daily experience in professional hiring, yet they are giving you advice about how the trained professionals use these tools for hiring!
If a friend offered to tune-up your car – for free – but they don’t have any experience nor do they have access to the tools they need to do it, would you really save money by letting them use their hammer on your engine?
That’s just a car! Your choice today impacts your career!
Following well-intentioned, but incorrect job search advice can keep you unemployed for weeks, even months longer than would have been otherwise! That costs you real money in lost salary!
REAL EXAMPLE: The #1 “free” video on YouTube about LinkedIn profiles for job seekers offers 6 tips, and 3 of them, if used, will directly harm your job search!
The tips sound innovative and logical, but they are factually incorrect and will – absolutely without question – prolong the job searches of the people who try them.
How do I know? The same way an experienced carpenter can tell when another carpenter doesn’t know what he is doing, even when the customer cannot tell.
#1, Free advice that prolongs your search is more expensive than hiring a trained professional for reliable guidance.
#2, Good intentions from good people who don’t have the experience and tools you need does not change #1.