Last year, I enjoyed a conversation with the incredible Olympia Kwitowski regarding celebrating my 25th year in Talent Acquisition and Management. (refer to our website for the video or DM me and I will send on).
I reflected at the time the sense of satisfaction in helping people secure their getting a great job as a recruiter or an advisor. I mention this because I feel I needed to emphasise one hard truth for us all.
Getting the right job is a skill!
Seems a fairly obvious comment to make, however, I still see candidates across industry and of various professions do not invest enough time and effort and feel disappointed when the outcome they were seeking does not eventuate.
People who know me are aware of my passion for Sport and the Arts. With sport (or business), the people who succeed don’t just rely on raw talent — they train, they prepare, they practice. The same applies to the job market. If you treat job-seeking like a craft, you’ll do better every single time.
The first piece is to know yourself! You’ve got to know your strengths and achievements and how to articulate them in a way that translates to the audience you are engaging with. Your achievements are considerable I am sure, however, make sure they link to Business objectives and concrete measures of success. Quantify your results as much as you can
How you communicate your value proposition is critical. Your CV, your LinkedIn, your interviews — all of it needs to speak to the value you bring and again, how it translates to your intended audience.
Let me touch on the subject of networking. This is a craft! I am a lifelong student of building networks that matter! I am not suggesting you spend 5 nights a week at meet-ups, business forums, etc. That is exhausting and most likely a waste of your time! They come through conversations, referrals, and trusted connections. We have a favourite motto with my team in that it is vital you are visible!
Be patient and forgiving of yourself throughout the process. Resilience is so important. Trust yourself that you can add value to the targeted employers, and do not lose faith in your capability. The job market can be brutal. Rejection stings, I know! Every day I face some sort of rejection. That is life! What sets people apart is how they respond.
Getting a job is a learned skill. The more you practice it, refine it, and own it, the more control you have over your career.
