Are Companies Only Interested In Hiring Happily Employed Candidates?

*I read an interesting article in the Times of India,"Only The Employed Need Apply" -it seems like many companies would rather actively pursue potential employees who are already gainfully employed and NOT job seeking....seems strange,right?
Despite the fact that millions of talented executives have been victims of downsizing and not due to poor performance, some hiring managers think that they can find the best candidates by going after them directly.Well,if you are still knee deep in a job search, where does that leave you? How about developing a multifaceted job search campaign that combines online and offline strategies that put you in the company of "passive",employed executives.
Your primary goal is to increase your visibility and reputation in your industry as an expert and thought leader.Embrace specific,targeted written and speaking communication strategies that include the following:
--Join professional associations and become actively involved through committees or officer positions.
--Write and submit articles for trade journals,industry magazines and other leading publications that are always seeking industry perspective.
--Get active online with your personal blog,making comments on other company blogs,participate and offer resources and information on forums.
--Network consistently with decision makers and influential industry experts-take full advantage of Chamber of Commerce events,local alumni events,annual conferences,online teleclasses and webinars.
--Become a member of a speakers bureau and accept requests for free and paid speaking engagements.
--Volunteer in local charity and community group- take it a step further by offering to lead workshops and group seminars.
--Seek out opportunities to be quoted in articles,ebooks and printed publications.
Overall,if recruiters are regularly scouting networking events to find top performers and industry leaders,make it easy for them to find you.More importantly,by consistently building your reputation,your expertise and perceived value will speak for themselves.
***Job Interview Mistakes to Avoid:-
Job hunting,and even being headhunted is a long and arduous process.So why would you want to mess it up when it comes to the job interview? According to a recent global recruitment survey conducted by Korn/Ferry International,the most common mistakes made by executive candidates are:
• Talking too much
• Lack of knowledge about the company or position
• Over-inflated ego
• Appearing overly confident
As you can tell,3 of the 4 above mistakes have absolutely nothing to do with the technical skills or competency required for the specific position being interviewed for.It has more to do with how you would be as a potential work colleague -how well you'd work with others in the company.Sure-skills, talent and experience count for some things,but at the end of the day,people choose people they like.
Another telling point with these mistakes is that these candidates weren't listening. If a candidate listened carefully to the questions asked and talked at length giving clear examples and relevant details that answered the questions,I doubt the interviewer would have thought "he talks too much".BUT,if the candidate started talking at length about things that don't answer the question, then that's when the candidate "talks too much" and wastes time.Good listening skills is key.
And lastly,what all these mistakes point to is the poor attitude of a candidate who isn't taking the job interview seriously by not preparing for it, or assumes he is a shoo-in.Always be prepared and never assume you've got the job until you've got the job offer in your hands signed by you and the company.