In my post Your Dream Job Success Strategy – Part1, we listed these components of a strategy to find and land your dream job:
- Identify the gap between the skills and talents you have… and those the dream job requires.
- Determine what jobs will fill the gap… and if there is an optimal order to pursuing the jobs (so you can acquire the skills and develop your talents.)
- Start your search for the first intermediate job.
- Package yourself appropriately in your job search.
We explored the first two in that post. In this one we will cover the next two.
Start your search
Having identified your most likely job and best-chance industry for that first stepping-stone job, start actually looking. This can be difficult to do. Most often, the issue is not about knowing what you need to do, as much as finding the inner resources to do it.
But, just to make sure, let’s cover the what you need to be doing. Get your resume out there. Tell people what (specifically) you are looking for. Ask them to ask their circle of friends and acquaintances to be on the lookout for you (network). Apply for appropriate jobs. Keep looking. Be persistent. Go to networking meetings.
Make sure you are surrounding yourself with more than just other job-seekers. Keep yourself visible to potential employers. Note: if you are doing this job seeking while already employed, be discreet about it, but keep looking. While employers have no qualms about looking for your replacement without ever telling you that they are about to replace you (in whatever fashion), they get seriously bent out of shape if you do the same to them. Yeah, it’s a double standard. When you own the business you can do it differently. Until them, be wise and discreet.
While you are in that stage between searching and landing the job, keep preparing for it. If your job search appears to be a long one, this is where you might consider training that will give you a leg up on the skills needed for the dream job… or one of the intermediate jobs. It is not a substitute for searching and applying for jobs, but a complementary process.
Also take advantage of any trade shows and conferences that you can attend that is in the field you are trying to find a job in. There are a wealth of contacts to be made there… just remember the previous two paragraphs about being visible… and where necessary, discreet.
Package yourself appropriately
In your resume, in your applications, in your cover letter, in your networking, in your interviews, remember to package yourself appropriately. You are marketing yourself. Make sure it is an appealing package.
Highlight your strengths. Since you are going for a job that you are a good candidate for to start with (we covered this in previous post), this shouldn’t be hard. Your strengths should be a significant feature of your candidacy.
Make sure your resume “sells” you properly. (Marketing… remember?) There are tricks you can do on your resume to spotlight your good points while minimizing your weaker points. These are easily found in books and on the web, so I won’t go into them here. However, do plan on having a resume “template” that covers all the ground you want covered for whoever you might be applying to… but never send it out. Always customize your resume to the job you are applying for. Packaging.
When you apply to a specific company for a specific position, point out how your strengths create value for the company. Show them how you are an asset to this company in this job. (If you don’t know that much about the job, then you haven’t done enough homework.) Remember, employers aren’t looking to give you a job… they are looking for solutions to problems… and the right employee is a solution. Make sure they can see how you are the right employee… the solution.
In the interview, dress appropriately, act appropriately, speak appropriately. I can’t give you rules for what apppropriately means because it is context sensitive. You wouldn’t dress the same way for a position as an apprentice machinist as you would for a bank clerk position. Nor for a corporate executive postion. And different still, as a programmer with a Silicon Valley start-up.
You want to match your speech, actions, formality (in dress and manner) to the job and company. But remember, it always better to be one notch more formal than required than to be one notch less formal.
Do you think that packaging is a pain and that it shouldn’t matter? You are not alone. However, experience shows that you ignore packaging at your peril. Since part of my goal is to help you be successful, in good conscience I can’t advise you to do anything but make sure your package is the most attractive one the potential employer sees.
Studies repeatedly show that packaging is important for several reasons (all that have to do with the way our brains are wired) but in this case, primarily because it helps demonstrate your value before they hire you. You might as well stack the process in your favor as much as you can.
Now, with your strategy mapped out, and your search moving forward, you should be well on your way to your dream job. I would love to hear how it’s working for you.
Is there a particular strategy or tactic that you have found effective in your pursuit of your dream job? Share the wealth (of knowledge) and tell us about it.
Don’t forget, if you need help right away, take a look at my coaching program. I have recently put together a package for job seekers that draws upon my years of experience both as a hiring manager and as a job seeker (during 3 different recessions). Your age and experience matter less in your job search than your attitude and drive. We will define your dream job, map out a plan to get there, and create a track record of success.
Other posts in this series:
