Looking for a new job should be
exciting. But for many it’s extremely stressful. Particularly if you’ve just
lost your job or are desperate to leave a job you hate. I’ve written before
about my own experiences of being made redundant and how I dealt with it. It was
by no means a fun ride.
What can make the job search even more stressful is when the job market is down.
Company expansion plans are put on hold and vacant roles aren’t re-filled.
Companies at final stage interviews have to suddenly freeze roles or remove them
completely. Recruitment agencies, under pressure to hit targets, post fake jobs
in the hope they will attract talent to sell into companies. Desperate times
call for desperate measures. Unfortunately, none of these actions make it any
easier for the active job seeker. Many of whom, themselves, are desperate. With
their job search success seemingly out of their control, job seekers can feel
powerless. Having a negative impact on their motivation and confidence levels.
In times of uncertainty, the only thing we can ever do is focus on the things we
CAN control. Namely our thoughts, our emotions and most importantly – our
actions.
You can’t control what is happening in the market. But you can control how you
react to it. You could choose to perceive it as hopeless. To give up, not take
any action and stay stuck. You could choose to perceive it as the end of the
world. And take desperate decisions and actions based on fear, which ultimately
will be bad decisions. Or you could choose to perceive it as an exciting
opportunity. An opportunity to see what you’re really made of. To rise to the
challenge and build an effective strategy to make progress towards changing your
circumstances.
As I’ve said many times before “Action breeds confidence and courage.” Any
action is better than no action. But the right actions will help you make
progress faster. Here is a list of effective actions you can take, starting
today, to help you regain control and motivation while looking for a job:
1) Get into the right mindset
Your thoughts determine how you feel. How you feel will determine the quality of
the actions you take. Your actions will then determine the results you get.
Feelings of demotivation and depression will stop you from taking action. What’s
the point if it’s not going to change anything, right? And feelings of stress
will result in either paralysis or poor performance (e.g. in job interviews).
So, it’s really important you do everything you can to stay feeling confident
and motivated.
Base your successes not on the outcomes of your job search, but on what actions
you take towards making progress. Seeing yourself take control of the things
within your control will help you maintain motivation levels and regain a sense
of certainty. At the end of each day, make a note of every action you took that
day that was good for you both personally and professionally.
2) Get clear on your UVP (Unique Value Proposition)
If you want to be able to sell yourself, you have to be clear on what you are
selling! Get super clear on your Unique Value Proposition – your unique
combination of technical skills, knowledge, experience, industry and company
exposure, achievements, values, attitudes and behavioural competencies that will
add value to an organisation. Make lists of each and link them to the jobs and
companies you are applying to.
3) Perfect your marketing tools
Your CV, LinkedIn profile and general online and offline platforms and
publications are all marketing tools to increase your visibility to potential
employers. They are tools to market your UVP. To effectively market your UVP,
you must first understand the needs of the employer and company. What are their
pain points? Their obstacles and challenges? Their goals and objectives? And how
does your UVP match their needs? Once you’ve got clarity on this – use your CV
and LinkedIn profile to effectively communicate that match.
4) Build an effective job search strategy
Applying for jobs online you are not 100% matched to is a poor job search
strategy. Recruiters and HR Managers will reject any CV that does not match the
job requirements fully. Stop wasting your time and theirs. Think about which
companies would really benefit from your UVP and create a target list of
companies. Then think of the best ways to get your face and name in front of
them – exhibitions, conferences, writing content on social media, networking
etc.
5) Focus on building your network
80% of jobs are filled via networking. My advice? Instead of spending 8 hours a
day behind a computer applying for job online – spend that time meeting people.
Make friends and nurture those relationships as much as you can. They might not
be able to hire you directly, but they will know someone, who knows someone, who
knows someone.
6) Increase your online/offline presence
I spend a lot of my time writing for online and offline publications. This
allows me to 1) add value to an audience I might not reach through my own social
media/website and 2) increase awareness to who I am and the value I can add to
companies and individuals. Writing content, creating discussion or master mind
groups, commenting on forums or other people’s social media can help you build
your reputation. Some companies have been known to interview on reputation
alone!
Social media generally is a great way to 1) identify potential jobs and 2)
increase your visibility to potential employers.
7) Practice your interview skills
If you have time on your hands, use it to perfect your interview skills!
Confidence in interviews comes from preparation and practice. Collect a list of
the most common interview questions and figure out how to answer each one in a
way that clearly shows how your UVP matches the employer’s need.
8) Focus on professional and personal development
The more skills you have, both technical and “soft”, the more valuable you are
as an employee. There is so much free content out there – use it and abuse it!
But if you can afford to invest in yourself, I would highly recommend it. As
Warren Buffet said, “The best investment you can make is in yourself.” As long
as you believe in your potential to change and create change, the rate of return
is guaranteed.
Focus on developing your emotional intelligence and self-awareness, your
communication skills, leadership and management skills – anything you feel you
need to develop that will add even more value to your Unique Value Proposition.
Get a coach. Go to trainings and workshops. Invest in a new qualification or
certification if you know if will benefit your career. Equip yourself with as
many relevant skills and tools as you can, and you will thrive – personally and
professionally.
How have you found the jobs you have had? Through your network or online? What
job search strategies have been most effective for you in the past? Please feel
free to leave your comments and advice below!