People generally get exactly what they are looking for, and people who are looking for a job—any job—are not an exception to the rule. They, in fact, illustrate the rule. They often make the mistake of settling for the first job opening available, which is understandable—responsible people have to do whatever it takes to meet their obligations.
But if you don’t want to be searching again in a few months, you should do your best to get a job you love from the beginning. Here are 10 simple things you can do to help get once step closer to getting a job you love.
Assess Yourself
You need to know what fits you the best. One simple way to do this is by taking self-assessment tests, which are typically short and widely available online—sometimes at no cost. Classic examples are available from Myers-Briggs or Keirsey. These tests will help you understand where your greatest potential for productivity, satisfaction, and success may be.
Focus on the Best-Fitting Jobs
While the urgent need may seem like the real issue, it is really the long-term need that deserves your attention. You will discover that as you assess yourself your focus will be much more finely tuned and you will find yourself looking for a job that is a good match. You will now be operating more efficiently, not wasting time filling out endless online applications for jobs you didn’t really want in the first place.
Nail Your Resume
Lisa Cefali and Alesia Benedict offer several insights into nailing your resume:
- Write the resume for the reader. The hiring authority does not care that you played varsity basketball in high school or that your hobbies include collecting stained glass. They want to see your experience and accomplishments. Give them what they want.
- Connect the dots. Make it easy to for the reader to see why you are a good fit for the job by connecting the dots between your talents and skills and the job.
- Don’t write an introduction. Write an executive summary (and name it such) of the information that follows.
- Use keywords. Write with the language that appeared in the job posting. Some resumes are scanned for matching keywords before being read by a human.
Nail Your Cover Letter
Every cover letter should be written exclusively for each job and company to which you apply. Within a matter of seconds, the recipient should be able to see that you are an excellent candidate for the job. The cover letter should do that, causing them to take particular note of the details in your resume. Restate the defined requirements of the job and show how you meet or exceed those specifications.
Nail Your Interview
Don’t go to a job interview to decide if you want the job, because you have nothing to decide until an offer is put on the table. Martin Yates, the author of the bestseller, Knock ’em Dead, says this about the interview:
You go to a job interview to get a job offer. Nothing else matters, not the pay, the benefits, or the work environment; they are all irrelevant until an offer is on the table. The person on the other side of the desk is not your adversary. They want to find someone who can do the work, wants to do the work, and can get along with others so that they can and get back to their real work ASAP. Your job is to help them make that decision.
Look for the Perfect Match
Job hunting is kind of like dating, only more complex and, typically, with more competition. Sign up with TheJobNetwork and let us help you find the perfect job match for you. Anybody can find a job. We can help you find the job you want.
