Written by: Adelina Stefan, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise
In the current world of uncertainty changing rapidly and unpredictably, companies and individuals have been forced to transition, adapt to new conditions and change specializations. Getting clarity on what how to do, how to do, and when to act is not an easy thing in these times.
As a Coach, when working with individuals in career transition, the goal is to help them discover their potential, connecting themselves to their own values in order to get clarity on their career path.
If you are currently exploring the job market to land a new opportunity, these 3 insights will help you to leverage your skills and strengths to get a new job in these uncertain times.
1. Know yourself
Knowing your own strengths and talents will empower you in your job search and in your career success. Define your professional value proposition to stand out and show your potential employer how you will bring value inside the organization, what makes you unique or at least unusual, what work style and competencies you possess, such as problem-solver, results-oriented, team player or self-starter, etc. To identify those strengths, take a psychometric test or skills assessment, debrief the results, define its accuracy, and build a strategy to help you leverage your skills to unearth the opportunities that would best suit you and your objectives. Search for a role and an environment you love, not for a role that you can do! Being passionate about what you do, followed by your competencies, is key to securing employment. Select the companies where you would like to work, rather than those who have a vacancy.
2. Build strategically your network
Personalizing your resume depending on the job requirements and company’s mission is only one step that can significantly impact your chances of landing the targeted job! However, remember that your resume represents only one way to reach employers. Hence, once you have built your resume and cover letter, you are ready to position yourself as a professional in your field and start focusing on connecting with the right people in the direction of your dream job.
How many times as a job seeker, have you heard how crucial networking is in landing the job? Networking for a job refers to how we build a community of professionals who know you and may help you if they can to identify new opportunities, increasing your chances of success through an internal referral. Even if the connections you build are not the decision-makers at your targeted company, a direct referral can bring you closer to the hiring manager. In other words, try to find the decision-makers inside the company through a bridge contact.
When reaching the hiring manager, position yourself as a problem-solver to a challenge that the company is facing, showing the hiring manager how your skills and expertise are valuable and needed by the company. Prepare your elevator pitch to introduce yourself, transmitting clearly and concise who you are and, what strengths and skills you possess what you are looking for. Last, remember that networking may not give you instant results. It requires high perseverance, motivation and preparation to reach someone who may impact you or whom you can impact.
3. Master interviews
Interviews are one of the critical parts of the hiring process and their preparation can be very time and energy-consuming. However, as Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”. Neglecting preparation or working on building up your confidence before an interview can lead to unforeseen issues later, limiting your chances to get hired.
Researching in depth the company’s mission statement, vision, values, and target audience will give you more confidence to provide accurate and concrete answers based on both your experience and the targeted job requirements.
Prepare your interview checklist, reviewing your strengths, and emphasizing how your key skills are relevant for your targeted role. Describe briefly how your strengths have contributed to your achievements and how you can use them to bring value to the company you are being interviewed for. Use a first-person point of view, incorporating personal pronouns like “I” and “me”, and an active voice such as “I’m excited to”, when describing your smart stories.
Prepare your powerful and unique questions that will help you to understand whether the company and the role itself are the right for you. Remember that interviewers expect to hear your questions as first, they will get the sense that you are interested in the position and second, you aim to understand key details regarding the role and atmosphere inside the company. Last, pay attention to the dress code and the body language. Dress properly, maintain eye contact with the interviewer, sit straight, listen carefully to remain focused during the interview.
The job search brings its challenges in many different forms and completely unavoidable, but with these three tips, you will overcome them and land your next opportunity!
Adelina Stefan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Adelina Stefan is a Professional Certified Coach & Intercultural Facilitator specialized in Career Development, with a deep expertise in international HR recruitment and selection and Training and Development. Having worked for 10+ years across cultures, Adelina seeks to catalyze individuals’ potential, helping them create and implement their unique career blueprint and, at the same time, achieve a healthy work-life balance. She specializes in working with expats and mid- to senior-level executives dealing with challenging work environments that can affect both their performance and well-being. She supports organizations in building a corporate coaching culture by highlighting individuals’ maximum potential and engagement so that they become dedicated and highly successful employees. Her practice includes Career, Life, Executive, and Agile Coaching for individuals, as well as developing and implementing corporate Human Resources practices for improving intercultural relations.
