The Invisible Candidate [Paperback]

"Just this week on the radio, there had been a jobseeker telling the interviewer all about the 700 jobs they have applied for which had resulted in 11 interviews but still no luck in landing a new job. The interviewer duly noted that the jobseeker really needs to get some help because they must be doing something wrong. The "Invisible Candidate" is not merely for the hapless serial applier of jobs but for any current jobseeker in the UK that wants to stand out from the crowd and beat the competition to their dream job. Anthony Haley's book is current (the advice given is all in line with the current economic downturn), practical common sense, and crucially brings tools and techniques that are sales in nature, but translate beautifully to the business of getting a job. The "Invisible Candidate" is so called because:

"If you are busy sending out your CV and attending interviews but are not having any success in getting a job, you might be the Invisible Candidate. .... Are you even looking for a job where 70% to 80% of jobs exist? A combination of these two factors is making you invisible."

"The Invisible Candidate" is like having your own job coach: Haley's style is straight to the point and he obviously has many years of experience that all makes perfect sense (especially at the senior end of the market as a head-hunter). It is for this reason that I felt that the "Invisible Candidate" would appeal to the project management marketplace: This book is about seizing the opportunity, understanding your skills and experiences to provide the necessary motivation to lift yourself above "today's dysfunctional job market" to get the job you really want, rather than just any old job to pay the bills.

Haley's approach essentially utilises sales skills to sell yourself and you may think that sounds like nothing new. But we still see in the marketplace people relying too much on job boards to find positions, outsourcing of your own CV writing to companies that may or may not have your best interests at heart, and, like the opening paragraph, some people still using methods that fail to land themselves a job.

"The Invisible Candidate" takes the reader through the job hunting process from where to find your ideal position (over 80% of vacancies are never advertised), plus self analysis to understand who you are, what you're worth and what you've got to offer. It's a technique that is straightforward with a very powerful outcome for any jobseeker. Of course the CV is covered, and mirrors the advice I always give out, too; "You will need several versions of your CV to suit different companies so do not be concerned with how many". Remember: this book is all about making yourself visible to the employing organisation and Haley's common-sense approach should be heeded by everyone when creating your CV.

Practical advice continues through making calls to the organisations you would ideally like to be working for, the importance of interview etiquette and surprisingly, good sections on the psychological, including use of NLP and the importance of body language in "business meetings" (Think of interviews like business meetings, a two-way street). The book also takes the reader through first and second interviews, psychometric testing, the offer process and counter offers, all with the tools and techniques to make you, the jobseeker, the most visible and likely candidate for the job. The "Invisible Candidate" leaves the reader feeling empowered in the job hunting process: it is all about both taking control and being in control throughout the entire process. Sometimes this might mean walking away from a potential opportunity, but at least the decision is firmly in your corner (indeed Haley gives a great insight into how the UK recruitment market works and how organisations deal with the business of employing people; sometimes you know when it's better to walk away!)

This book is not for the jobseeker who wants to carry on applying for vacancies on job boards and the national press, sending the same old "me too" CV with cover note that says not very much at all. This book is for the jobseeker who wants to be proactive in their search; who is not scared of trying new techniques that may very well take you out of your comfort zone; who is looking for a much more professional approach to the whole business of job hunting. The "Invisible Candidate" is more about acquiring life skills primarily for job hunting but ultimately, you will be left with new skills which can be used throughout your professional career.

I particularly liked the quote in the book (of which there are many), which sums up the "Invisible Candidate" and whether, as a project manager, you should grab a copy:

"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them" - Mark Twain

- Lindsay Scott, Arras People

Having read the book cover-to-cover, I believe it to be the best I've come across concerning the process of getting a good job. I have seen most of the advice in one form or another in different books and articles, but the author has done a great job in distilling all the information into an easy-to-read, "non-waffley," manual for those who need to get to grips finding a new role.

"The Invisible Candidate" is for any jobseeker in the UK that wants to get their dream job. Haley's piece is relevant primarily due to his mention of the current economic climate, but the lessons it disseminates can be learned and drawn on for all types of economic times of hardship - they can all lead to success.

One passage from "The Invisible Candidate" had me nodding like the Tombliboos after the narrator's question:

"If you are doing 'a' job and want to take control of your career and your life, are you willing to pay the price? Not the price of a book on interview skills or the price of getting someone else to write your own CV for you. Are you prepared to pay the price of commitment, focus, dedication and time to obtain 'the' job for you?"

Amen, I thought: How better to make the readership understand their destiny is in their own hands? While it took three sentences to say it, Haley's words resonate deeply thanks to the simple lessons we learned in group activities growing up - to be the best, you have to put in the work 'the best' asks of you.