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Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have it all? Effortlessly have found their dream job, and everything they wanted has landed on their lap?
Let me tell you one thing: such a thing doesn’t exist. There is no overnight success. No one is what they seem on social media. No one! Well, maybe I’m generalising too much, and perhaps there is the 1% that is lucky to have it all. Regardless, remember my motto: Luck is preparation waiting for an opportunity! And that’s what you need to work on, your preparation, so you are ready when the time comes.
I have many personal experiences that showed me, along the way, that indeed preparation can make a massive difference in the outcome. Are you interested in knowing about those? Let me know. Just as a teaser, in 2017, I went to final rounds with Google, Facebook, and Amazon. And on all those final rounds, there were just two finalists. Can you guess what happened?
Today, I will focus on what you need to start doing to get hired for the job YOU want, not the one that comes knocking at your door.
Throughout my career (and student life), I have had many mentors. By the way, do you know the difference between a coach and a mentor? Check out this post on Elekto’s blog. Some things I agreed with, some I didn’t. In certain situations, I was right, and in others, I was not. But you must learn things by yourself as well. Of course, if you can have guidance that can prevent you from some pain, why not have it? It can propel your career but at the same time save you two years of learning. When I started my journey to improve myself and help others seven years ago, I had spent 18-24 months perfecting the right approach. It would have been nice to have someone help me and shorten this time frame. That is what I am doing now, trying to pass on the things I have learnt throughout the years.
I had a manager that once told me: “You are adrift. It seems to me that you take the jobs that appear in front of you (half of the jobs I’ve had I was headhunted on LinkedIn) rather than choosing what is that you want to focus on”. This hit me hard. Made me reassess my career path and where I wanted to be in the medium term. And let me tell you that I took action.
Here is what you should know:
Prospective employers are constantly looking for new hires; you need to meet them half-way
Your problem is that, potentially, you are doing your job search all wrong
Employers try to get a 360 view of their candidates (social media included)
Networking will get you much closer to nail the job you want
The employer:
Great companies are constantly looking for the right candidate. Even if they are not hiring at that point, but let's just make it simpler for the sake of argument.
Assuming that a specific employer only goes hunting for a prospective employee if they have a need, the company will try to find the right person through several routes:
Posting a job ad on job boards, their careers’ page and/or LinkedIn;
Checking referrals / through networking sessions (some companies even invite prospective candidates to events, sometimes even abroad, to assess if that person would be a good fit – without you even noticing it);
Scouring social media (LinkedIn, for example) and perform background checks.
Companies like people that take the initiative. You need to tailor your approach in a way that meets the employer's needs. Make them have a need (for you)!
Are you taking the traditional approach? Such as looking into job boards, checking company websites, and sending the same CV over and over again?
Well, you need to be more proactive. You need to start engaging with the company yourself rather than waiting to hear from them. Remember, companies would rather hire someone recommended by an employee or person of interest than go fishing out in the cold. LinkedIn can be a powerful tool to do so. Create your branding/persona. Start posting, engaging, commenting, initiating conversations,… The more your profile is active, the higher the likelihood of someone seeing you. You just need to be clever and do it the right way. That is why career management is so important. I am constantly saying this, I know, but it is true.
The candidate – YOU:
If you expect your CV to speak for itself, you couldn't be more wrong.
Yes, you may land a job if you take the traditional approach, sure. But there is a high probability of you getting a position that doesn't speak to you. Something you need to ask yourself: Am I looking for just a job that pays a salary or am I trying to find the perfect fit? Another thing I can tell you for sure, if you choose a job purely on salary and benefits, you’re in for a painful road ahead. I’ll talk about this at a later stage.
Moreover, employers are - even more than before - considering the bigger picture by trying to understand who you REALLY are (social media, background checks, and network). Remember what I just said about LinkedIn and your persona?
Your approach:
You need to make your value to the company abundantly clear. So, how can you do that if you keep sending the same CV to all the positions you apply for?
I know that tailoring your CV is time-consuming. Some techniques can help you reduce the effort massively. Keep your eyes peeled on Elekto’s blog, Instagram or LinkedIn pages, as I will be talking about this soon. For now, let's just think holistically about your approach to the job search conundrum.
Before you start firing CVs in every direction – I tell you this again – you need to ask yourself: What is that I want to do going forward?
Your target:
Knowing the path you should take is no easy feat. Here is where you probably need help to draft your career plan/strategy. It would help if you thought a little bit into the future (I won't say ten years anymore, but perhaps five). Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Now, you need to work backwards. Let's reverse engineer it. Deconstruct it into smaller milestones you need to achieve to take you to the place you want to be. The hardest part, for some, is really knowing what you want to accomplish because it needs to be tangible. Don't tell yourself silly things like "I want to earn 1 million pounds" or “I want to work just two hours per day”. Well, it can be possible, sure. But is it feasible for your reality? Probably not. Make it SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound). Let me know if you want to know more about this.
Take action:
Now that you know what you really want, it's time to roll up your sleeves.
These are the tasks you should be doing once you know your target:
Tailor your CV;
Ensure your LinkedIn is searchable and complements your CV;
Network (with people and companies) - LinkedIn can be your best friend here;
Check if you know anyone who works at the company you are applying to that can refer you – but only ask people you really know and have worked with; otherwise, how can that person refer you? Don't put them in an awkward position.
Need help?
Do you need help:
Drafting your career plan?
Tailoring your CV?
Creating the perfect LinkedIn profile?
Understanding how to best network, primarily online?
Engaging with companies and recruiters?
I am here for you. Visit Elekto's website for more information, and don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter.
I could write a book just on this subject. I tried to synthesise it as much as possible, so I am asking you to help me understand the topics you are most interested in. Do you have any question regarding any of the things said above? Don’t be shy; ask away.
Let me just finish by saying that all advice you get from a coach, a mentor, a friend, a family member must be taken with a pinch of salt. No one knows your reality as you do. Take it in, absorb it, and then decide based on all the knowledge you now have. Your future self will thank you.
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