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- Sylvia Pena
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Have you ever read the best-selling book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. It’s a golden oldie. And well worth tracking down.
Covey’s seven habits provide a roadmap for increasing one’s effectiveness in any area of life, from home to the workplace.
As a career transition consultant, one of the questions I have been helping my clients with is: What do highly effective job hunters do?
Inspired by that title, here are the five habits (plus one more) of highly effective job seekers.
Focus Your Search – Highly effective job seekers are focused. Do you have a goal? Are you pursuing target companies (or organizations, industries, roles) that are of interest to you, by researching them, following them on LinkedIn, and inviting people who work there to connect with you? Are you focused on your objective (what you want)?
Spend Your Time Wisely – Highly effective job hunters are great time managers. They know that time is a precious resource. How are you using your time? Are you researching to find the hidden job market of needs that employers have that you could be the solution to? Are you following up with each person you meet: in interviews? at networking meetings? recruiters you have spoken with? Are you using each interaction as an opportunity to display your brand and your value proposition? Are you learning and enhancing your skills?
Present Your Best Self – Highly effective job hunters are mindful about how to present themselves. Do you know your brand (what you are known for)? Are you clear about your value proposition (why they should hire you)? Are you aware that each move you make in a job search –handing someone your business card, sending your cover letter, submitting resume, putting your profile on LinkedIn, going in for an interview– is a representation of who you are? Are you intentional about putting your “best self” out there? Who do you want the market to see? How do you want to be known?
Leverage Relationships – Job search depends upon relationships. Are you reaching out to people you know? Are you reaching out to people that they know? Are you identifying other people (such as hiring managers, recruiters, CEOs) that you want to know? Are you attending local networking events? Are you participating in professional groups in your field? Are you volunteering locally? Are you helping the market to get to know You?
Be the Solution – Companies have problems to solve and they are looking for people who can provide the solutions. Can you see your self as a solution? Do you believe in yourself? Do you know your PAR stories? Use your resources (especially your contacts and your library) to learn more about your target companies. Find out what is keeping them up at night. Then confidently present your capabilities and accomplishments, while humbly expressing your interest in learning more about them.
and one more…
Take Good Care of Your Self – A job search can be tough going, with little response and little traction. It can take longer than you would like. And you may feel miserable a lot of the time. Therefore, you must take good care of You. Find ways to stay in shape, both physically and emotionally, so that you are energized, positive, and ready when opportunity appears.
My 5-Point Checklist
During a job search, it is advisable to do a check-up periodically. Here is my 5-Point Check-Up. Let me know how you do.
1 – Focus: Are you pursuing target companies that are of interest to you, by researching them, following them on LinkedIn, and inviting people who work there to connect with you? Are you focused on your objective (what you want)? Are you focused on your brand (what you are known for)? Are you focused on your value proposition (why they should hire you)?
2 – Activity: How are you using your time? Time is a precious resource. Are you applying to posted jobs that are published on Indeed, Dice, LinkedIn and your target company websites? Are you prospecting to find the hidden job market of needs that employers have that you could be the solution to? Are you following up with each person you meet: in interviews? at networking meetings? recruiters you have spoken with? Are you using each interaction as an opportunity to display your brand and your value proposition?
3 – Learning: Are you enhancing your area of expertise through learning? Are you sharing your expertise with others? Are you learning from each interview? Each rejection? Remember that each disappointment carries a lesson to be learned.
4 Visibility: Are you active on social media especially LinkedIn? Are you attending local networking events? Are you participating in professional groups in your field? Are you volunteering locally? Are you helping the market to get to know You?
5 Tools & Resources: Is your LinkedIn profile complete? Are you actively using LinkedIn to research people, companies, and jobs? Are you active in groups that are closely aligned to your interests? Are you sharing content with your connections? Are you utilizing your connections effectively? Other people are your most important resource. Are you reaching out? Are you building a team?
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Terrence Seamon guides career transitioners toward their goals. Follow him on twitter @tseamon