Stroll into a pub on any given weeknight and I guarantee: within 15 minutes you will have collected quite the handful of assorted complaints about work. More often than not, people are either miserable in the jobs they’re at, or are waddling around the market in varying degrees of exasperation, looking for their next gig.
I’ve been working with people like this for over 25 years, helping them change their careers from dreary to dazzling time and again, and I’ve found that, no matter the circumstances, these 5 principles have always held true:
1. Linear Careers? Yeah, They’re No Longer A Thing.
Back in the day, if you got, say, a law or a business degree, it was more or less a predictable ascension, from internship, to individual contributor to management and, finally, the executive suite. Those days are gone. Nowadays, you should view your career not as a straight line, but as a kaleidoscope, built on your unique interests, experiences and skills. Do yourself a favor and single them out. Own them. Honor them. I once worked with a brilliant physician who knew her way around technology, and who wanted to talk about medicine outside stuffy symposia. You know: to regular Joes like you and I. However, she was scoffed at by senior members of faculty: “Doctors cure diseases! They don’t write silly articles for housewives!” After a few chats, though, she realized she had been relying on the approval of old men who did not share her vision because they couldn’t quite grasp the potential of the Internet’s connectivity wonders. She was braving a new world! And so, fast forward to a few years later, where she has now partnered with a major tech company to create pioneering diagnostics, is a columnist at two global magazines, and travels the world to give talks on the new frontiers of medicine.
2. Start a New CV From Scratch. Every. Time.
Most people groan at the thought of rewriting their resumés, so they copy and paste from one document to the next. The result is an inconsistent, generic document that’s painful to read (and therefore easy to toss into the bin). Your CV is an advertisement that is specifically targeted to a job opportunity. You have to quickly, clearly and enticingly make the case for why you are the best candidate for the role you’ve got your eye on. Since each role is different, each CV has to be different. As extra credit, I assess my clients’ competencies and turn them into a spreadsheet of relatable assets they can easily grab to customize their CVs to their dream opportunities. Works like a charm. (You can find more tips on optimizing your CV right here.)
3. Get a Hold of Your Professional Brand.
The very first thing a recruiter is going to do when you apply for a job is check you out online. What story does your online presence tell? If a potential hiring manager were to sift through your social media, would they get the impression you’re pleasant? Wild? Short-tempered? Boring? I worked with a client once who had been out of work for months, despite being qualified for several juicy opportunities. A quick analysis of his social media revealed a bare-bones online presence through which he produced very little content, choosing instead to limit himself to half-heartedly reposting articles that were painfully out of date. I worked with him to clarify what he wanted to be known for, and by whom, then we rebuilt his presence to reflect this. Within a short time, his message was so clear and effective that he called me back asking for help to decide which of the 3 job offers at hand he should accept.
4. Network Like There’s No Tomorrow.
Never rely on a CV alone. Yes, you have to fill out the job forms. Yes, you have to send out your resumés. But studies have shown that – get this – 80% of positions are filled not by job boards, but by referrals. Knowing someone who knows someone. So be known. Clarify your message about who you are and what you do. Go to meetups in your areas of interest. Engage with people online. Go beyond your usual pals and go get coffee (or better yet, lunch) with people you haven’t seen in a while, or that you haven’t met yet. The idea here is to be on the top of people’s minds when they hear of an opportunity that might suit you.
5. Become an Interview Juggler.
The biggest mistake job seekers make is to run through a selection process until its very end, and if unsuccessful, start the next one. What this does is place a lot of strain on the importance of succeeding in whatever process you’re in. As time goes by, your resources run low. You have very little room for negotiation by the time salaries and packages are discussed. And, if it doesn’t work out, the negative impact on you is much greater than if you were to have another two or three parallel processes you could say, “Oh well,” and turn to. Own the management of your career, and diversify your options.
Job hunting is, in itself, a full-time occupation. It can be daunting. There are many variables you have to manage, but with the right tools and support, you will dramatically increase your chances of landing your dream job
Stroll into a pub on any given weeknight and I guarantee you within 15 minutes you will have collected quite the handful of assorted complaints about work. More often than not, people are either miserable in the jobs they’re at, or are waddling around the market in varying degrees of exasperation, looking for their next gig.
I’ve been working with people like this for over 25 years, helping them change their careers from dreary to dazzling time and again, and I’ve found that, no matter the circumstances, these 5 principles have always held true:
1. Linear Careers? Yeah, They’re No Longer A Thing.
Back in the day, if you got, say, a law or a business degree, it was more or less a predictable ascension, from internship, to individual contributor to management and, finally, the executive suite. Those days are gone. Nowadays, you should view your career not as a straight line, but as a kaleidoscope, built on your unique interests, experiences and skills. Do yourself a favor and single them out. Own them. Honor them. I once worked with a brilliant physician who knew her way around technology, and who wanted to talk about medicine outside stuffy symposia. You know: to regular Joes like you and I. However, she was scoffed at by senior members of faculty: “Doctors cure diseases! They don’t write silly articles for housewives!” After a few chats, though, she realized she had been relying on the approval of old men who did not share her vision because they couldn’t quite grasp the potential of the Internet’s connectivity wonders. She was braving a new world! And so, fast forward to a few years later, where she has now partnered with a major tech company to create pioneering diagnostics, is a columnist at two global magazines, and travels the world to give talks on the new frontiers of medicine.
2. Start a New CV From Scratch. Every. Time.
Most people groan at the thought of rewriting their resumés, so they copy and paste from one document to the next. The result is an inconsistent, generic document that’s painful to read (and therefore easy to toss into the bin). Your CV is an advertisement that is specifically targeted to a job opportunity. You have to quickly, clearly and enticingly make the case for why you are the best candidate for the role you’ve got your eye on. Since each role is different, each CV has to be different. As extra credit, I assess my clients’ competencies and turn them into a spreadsheet of relatable assets they can easily grab to customize their CVs to their dream opportunities. Works like a charm. (You can find more tips on optimizing your CV right here.)
3. Get a Hold of Your Professional Brand.
The very first thing a recruiter is going to do when you apply for a job is check you out online. What story does your online presence tell? If a potential hiring manager were to sift through your social media, would they get the impression you’re pleasant? Wild? Short-tempered? Boring? I worked with a client once who had been out of work for months, despite being qualified for several juicy opportunities. A quick analysis of his social media revealed a bare-bones online presence through which he produced very little content, choosing instead to limit himself to half-heartedly reposting articles that were painfully out of date. I worked with him to clarify what he wanted to be known for, and by whom, then we rebuilt his presence to reflect this. Within a short time, his message was so clear and effective that he called me back asking for help to decide which of the 3 job offers at hand he should accept.
4. Network Like There’s No Tomorrow.
Never rely on a CV alone. Yes, you have to fill out the job forms. Yes, you have to send out your resumés. But studies have shown that – get this – 80% of positions are filled not by job boards, but by referrals. Knowing someone who knows someone. So be known. Clarify your message about who you are and what you do. Go to meetups in your areas of interest. Engage with people online. Go beyond your usual pals and go get coffee (or better yet, lunch) with people you haven’t seen in a while, or that you haven’t met yet. The idea here is to be on the top of people’s minds when they hear of an opportunity that might suit you.
5. Become an Interview Juggler.
The biggest mistake job seekers make is to run through a selection process until its very end, and if unsuccessful, start the next one. What this does is place a lot of strain on the importance of succeeding in whatever process you’re in. As time goes by, your resources run low. You have very little room for negotiation by the time salaries and packages are discussed. And, if it doesn’t work out, the negative impact on you is much greater than if you were to have another two or three parallel processes you could say, “Oh well,” and turn to. Own the management of your career, and diversify your options.