So, it seems like whenever I first start working with a client and I ask how they started their job search, their answer is something along the lines of, “Well, I made a few tweaks to my resume and then started applying for jobs online.”
“Whoa, Nelly!! Not so fast,” I’m thinking.
But I totally get it. When you start a job search, you want to get it going as soon as possible. So it completely make sense to think you need to get that resume out there.
But after applying for dozens of jobs online and not hearing back, your enthusiasm starts to wane. Frustration creeps in. You think, “Why isn’t this working?? I must need to apply for even MORE jobs.”
But that couldn’t be further from the truth. As I often tell my clients, “It’s not a numbers game. It’s a SPECIFICITY game.”
Without a solid plan of attack, firing off resumes won’t get you anywhere. You have to focus on looking for the RIGHT jobs at the RIGHT companies.
And when I say right, I mean right for you…your skills, your interests, your career goals.
How do you make this determination? Here are two key strategies:
RIGHT Job Strategy #1 – Ask Yourself the Right Questions
Some ideas to give you clarity:
> What aspects of your current or past job are/were you unsatisfied with? (Responsibilities? Salary? Commute? Supervisor or team? Company culture?)
> What are some positive aspects that you’d like to continue in your next job?
> What types of companies are most attractive to you?
(Think about size, industry, location, reputation, company culture, product or service, mission, etc.)
> When it comes to the position and company, what are your must-haves, nice-to-haves and don’t-wants? Be honest.
Really think these questions through, right them down, and pay attention to the thoughts and feelings that come up. Once you’ve completed this process it’s helpful to move onto…
RIGHT Job Strategy #2 – Create an Ideal Job Description
This is where you clearly lay out what you’d like to wake up and do everyday. Here are some things to consider:
> What problems do you want to solve?
> What types of projects sound most interesting?
> Which skills are you most interested in leveraging?
> What does your work environment look like?
> Will you work with a collaborative team, or will you have more autonomy?
> What’s your ideal title and compensation package?
If you’re feeling stuck and need inspiration, jump onto LinkedIn, Indeed and other job boards and look at 15-20 job descriptions of roles you’re targeting. (But don’t apply to them at this point.)
Looking these over, what sounds interesting and what makes you want to run and hide? LISTEN TO YOURSELF.
Another strategy is to look up profiles by title on LinkedIn and see what people are doing everyday at their jobs. (You can set your privacy setting to anonymous search, if you feel more comfortable.) What aspects of their jobs attract AND repel you?
Conclusion
As you can see, getting crystal clear on which types of roles and companies are right AND wrong for you is the first critical step in your job search.
Once you have this insight, you’ll probably find yourself applying for fewer jobs, but the RIGHT ones.
And that’s what the Specificity Game is all about…
