Your resume is fantastic, and now you’re ready to discover your industry, ie your professional home. Finding that place where you can add value from day one and where your skill set will develop over time is a tricky balance, but is a very attainable goal. Laser focus, combined with flexibility, will deliver long-term mutual benefits to you and to your work. According to Derek Darling, a Purdue engineer, RIT MBA and Director of Operations Excellence at AMETEK Power Instruments, “It is a really tight job environment right now. It is important to focus on the value you can bring to the company and then do a good job at connecting with targeted, prospective employers.” Keeping in mind a few details will help you in your journey.
Be Organized
Whether you’re a journal keeper, an Excel loyalist or someone in between, index all your research information in one thorough entity. Regardless of your preferred documentation method, include the following list: organization name, address, website, phone number and any social media links; point of contact (at least one); date you reached out, applied for job or submitted resume; next steps; misc – anything else that will help you, such as organization news, product launches, etc. No matter whom you reach out to, make sure this document chronicles your entire process. You will thank yourself later.
Be Open
If you’re an accountant, you can either join an accounting firm or work for any office that requires accounting services. This is the difference between applying into an industry versus into a functional area. Each direction offers its own cost-benefit, and you can draw up your own comparison based on your career goals for the next two to three years. This same trade-off applies for the team size. In a larger organization you will likely have less influence, but will have exposure to numerous resources. In a start-up, you’ll have greater influence, but within a smaller scope. Either way, everyone’s lean these days, so regardless of where you’ll work, you will need to take on more than you’re currently trained to do. Finally, only you can decide on your future geography, but know this: the people who really love you want you to succeed, even if it means that success is in another city, state or even country.
Be Passionate
When deciding where to apply, I challenge you to bypass the common job search engines and, instead, take a look around your home: What car do you drive? Whose coffee do you drink? What magazines do you read? What non-profits receive your hard-earned money? What products or services are parts of your daily rituals? You’re already a brand ambassador, so think how genuine your job interview will be when the hiring manager asks why you’re applying in that specific firm or agency. In this complex market, holding education and skill set constant, your passion is the one thing that may differentiate you from your competition. Oh, and with persistence and passion, you can do what you love.
Be Aggressive
Think of your job search as a hunt, because that is exactly what it is. When six or seven candidates are applying, you need to exceed your own expectation. My advice to clients is as follows: In Week 1, apply to 10 new positions. During Week 2, apply to 10 more and follow up on the first 10. In Week 3, apply to 10 additional opportunities and reach out to the first 20, etc. In your first month, you’ll make progress with 40 applications. By end of Month 2, you would have reached out to 80 distinct leads. Your hunt is a numbers game. And, while you can’t control whose interest you generate, you can move the odds in your favor by carrying out a full-blown campaign. Also, maximize exposure on all the major social networking sites and join any local clubs that attract other accomplished people, regardless of trade. Position yourself as the success you already are, or want to be, and watch how the world responds to you.
First written in January 2010.
Reprinted with permission and gratitude from CoolCleveland.com.
