Finding New Employment Opportunities
If you find yourself out of work you may be more normal than you think. In the modern workforce, people change jobs more frequently than ever before. The average number of career changes people now undertake is now around nine. This has been driven by the increased use of casual and part-time work in most industries across the world.
If you find yourself job seeking be kind to yourself. Managing your emotions and your health is at the core of success. This means making sure you eat well and avoid destructive emotions such as anger, self-doubt and betrayal. Sure you need to have some time to grieve but you do need to move on with acceptance and a desire to make the next positive step as soon as you can.
New employers want to observe a positive and resourceful person. They do not want to see a hurt and angry job pleader. Attitude is everything. Experience tells that bosses want people with a CAN DO attitude full of inspiration and a great customer service ethic. If you demonstrate this at an interview and in your CV you will stand a great chance of success.
To me, career job seeking is little like buying real estate or renting a property. You will rarely find the perfect job. You will often have to compromise a little to make a successful change.
Before leaping off to your first interview begin with a clear plan of what type of job you want and what skills you wish to use or develop. Carefully consider how you want your job to blend with the rest of your life. For example, does the employment you are seeking offer chances of advancement, added security, greater learning opportunities, more freedom, and a balance you want in your life.
To find the best employment, here are twenty valuable tips:
1. Discover your own unique brand of skills and motivation. Develop those capabilities and talents that are hard to copy. Sell the difference that you make to productivity and innovation. Carry the customer service virus wherever you go.
2. Never label yourself as unemployed or not wanted. See yourself as in career transition.
If you are unable to secure paid employment, volunteer your skills for non-paid work or interim short-term part-time work.
3. Take every opportunity to develop your skills. This way you are learning new skills and putting yourself in the marketplace as someone who is not sitting around waiting for things to happen.
4. Go with career trends, and seek employment and skill development in organisations with less than 25 employees. Smarter still, consider doing contract or part-time work rather than full time employment.
5. Most career and change openings are never advertised. They only eventuate by you being informed on what is happening and selling your desires, resourcefulness, and track record to interested parties.
6. Create new opportunities by listening and talking to people about what interests them. Use referrals to discover potential openings for a next step in your development and personal growth. Narrow down those fields, titles and projects, which interest you. Explore ways in which you can develop your capability and marketability in these areas.
7. Identify contacts and then sell your case by meeting them face-to-face as often as you can. Locate people who may be able to point you in the right direction. Often this is through existing friends or people in the community you already know.
8. Create a short one-page advertisement of your achievements, resources, and career goals. As you meet people, leave them a copy. When you have to do a formal resume, tailor it to the exact needs of the client. Do away with multi-purpose resumes, there is no such thing.
9. Make it as easily possible for people to contact you. Having access to a answering machine, a computer (the internet), and a mobile phone can enable you to do work and make contact 24/7.
10. Go past job descriptions and selection criteria and find out what the real truth is about jobs. It is amazing how the different language can mean the same thing. More importantly, go beyond the mask of words and find out what is required and what sort of person they are seeking.
11. Ask employers or interested parties about their track record in developing the capability and employability of their people. Ask them to tell you stories of what they have done for their people. It is often fruitful in having key managers describe their vision for the future and how they see you as being a part of it. When securing a job offer make sure you agree performance targets and success indicators up front. Remember, your goal must be to finish your time with them, infinitely more marketable and employable than you are today.
12. Check in with your values when you change your career, or undertake a different project.
Much of the dissatisfaction occurs when people perform duties that are in conflict with their personal values.
13. Never rely solely on the interview, headhunter, or resume for hiring. Make it your business to meet and discuss your career in advance with people who have an influence on the final decision. Where appropriatemake time to see them, even if it is for only 10 minutes.
14. Put your hand up to develop your skills within existing jobs. This is the most likely way that any career change will begin. Start out by learning new skills and promoting what you have to others. Offering to do a trial run can never be underestimated either.
15. If people feel you are over qualified highlight how your additional skills could be used
in work which could add value to their business. If you feel under qualified, go back and explore your history
16. Part-time or freelance work could be the bes option. This could give you the time to open up new horizons, opportunities and contacts.
17. You must be fanatical about self-discipline. Approach career transition seriously by allocating sufficient time to do your research, eat well, rest and have fun. It should be treated as a full-time job, spending at least 40 hours a week on the task at hand whether it is cold calling, networking, studying or meeting people.
18. Your keenness and temperament will be your most marketable commodity. The more positive exchanges you can have, the more chances of making positive information while finding out vital details. So remember to show common courtesy, listen carefully, smile, and dress appropriately.
19. When you miss out for something you are aiming for, send them a thank you letter or card. It is amazing how this can open up a new job offer or a new lead. Better still; see if you can get some form of post interview counselling.
20. See career transition as a learning process and not as a pass or fail. Review your current strategy. Where possible have a mentor or career adviser provide honest feedback to your tactics. Always thank people for their time and remember to use their names at least twice.
Reference:
Rylatt, A. (1997) Navigating the Frenzied World of Work.
Sydney, Australia: Woodslane
9th March 2004
