You've to reach the 10th floor in an office tower. You can go by two ways:

A: Climb up the stairs

B: Use an elevator

You want to wash your clothes. You can do it two ways:

A: Wash with your hands

B: Use a washing machine

You want to withdraw money. You can do so in two ways:

A: Visit a bank

B: Use an ATM

There is nothing tricky about these questions, and the answers are so obvious. Can you, however, see the not-so-obvious phenomenon underlying our everyday choices? We like to spend least possible effort to accomplish our objectives.

Our tendency to spend least effort is so strong that most of the technologies, products and services are aimed at helping us achieve just that: least effort! Behind the auto-redial function on phones, Internet banking and ready-made food stuff is our basic need to minimise the effort.

The tendency to spend least effort plays out in the hiring process as well. The only catch is when job seekers take the path of least effort, they invariably create a path of more effort for the employers and that doesn't work. On the other hand, if job seekers can consciously enable the employers to follow the path of least effort, they stand good chances of winning their approval. Here is how it works:

Resume: As a job seeker, the natural tendency is to prepare a resume as fast as possible and shoot it out to as many employers as possible. When you do that you create two problems:

First, a resume prepared in a hurry is likely to be long, complicated, unfocused, superficial and may contain mistakes. Second, a generic resume fails to connect with the unique needs of employers who are all different from one another. When such resumes reach recruiters, they are unable to figure out candidates' suitability as quickly as they would like to do. As a result, hurriedly prepared, generic resumes go to the rejection pile.

As a job seeker, smartness lies in spending more effort in preparing your resume so that employers spend least effort while dealing with it. Specifically, that means:

- tailoring your resume according to each employer's unique needs

- keeping it short—2 pages or 3 pages (max.)

- ensuring it contains only the relevant information.

- keeping it simple, credible and without any mistakes.

Interview: Job seekers appear at interviews expecting employers to question them and assess their suitability. But when you follow this common approach, you are demanding more effort from employers. They have to first dig out all the relevant information from you, and then make an assessment whether you fit into their needs.

The smart approach for a job seeker would be to first develop an understanding of an employer's needs (challenges and problems) and then taking the initiative to demonstrate how one fits into those needs.

When go to interviews well-prepared and present yourself as a solution to employer's specific problems/challenges, you take them along the path of least effort and brighten up your prospects of winning their approval.

Job hunting: Typically, job seekers focus on job openings advertised in the newspapers or on the Internet. For employers, however, the route of advertising vacancies, then getting flooded with applications and interviewing scores of candidates is a route of “more effort.”

The smart way to find a job would be to get in touch with potential employers either through contacts or directly. That way, you save them the extra effort. That's the reason why many smart job seekers get jobs by networking and seeking help from their friends and colleagues or showing the guts to approach employers directly.

The bottom line: To enjoy success in the job market, help potential employers to take the path of least effort. Invariably, this would mean making effort on your side at every stage of the hiring process. But isn't that extra effort worth it if it helps to shorten your job search?