Focus. Focus. Focus.

Focus. Focus. Focus.

– By Lauren Celano, CEO of Propel Careers

With focus comes tremendous opportunity!

Quite often, people ask me for advice regarding their job search and, in particular, whether there is something universal that companies look for. In my experience, there are a few universal qualities aside from the obvious (e.g. honesty, intelligence, hard work). One that comes up over and over again is "Focus." Focus is one of the most important characteristics that companies look for when evaluating potential hires. Moreover, focus is critical for all aspects of your job search, from start to finish.

Focus is one of the most important characteristics that companies look for when evaluating potential hires. Focus is about knowing what you want to do, why you want to do it and, most importantly, being able to articulate your thoughts.

Focus is more than applying for the right job. Focus is about knowing what you want to do, why you want to do it and, most importantly, being able to articulate your thoughts. This focus should be evident in your resume, cover letter, and social/on-line presence. If you can't make it perfectly clear why you are a good fit for a particular role, chances are you won't get a second look. Focus Your Goal

As you approach your job search, you need to constantly be asking yourself what it is you want to do and why. This will go a long way in keeping you focused on your search. Self-awareness and situational-awareness are critical to all successful job searches. Take an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses, the pros and cons of potential career paths, and your long term goals. This will help you stay focused on relevant roles and accelerate your career search.

If you are not sure what you want to do or if you are choosing between a few different options (i.e. research or project management), then conduct informational interviews with people who are actually in these roles. Informational interviewing is a wonderful way to find out if a specific role or company would be a fit for you. If an interviewer asks why you are interested in the company or the role, he/she will respond positively if you mention that you did a lot of soul-searching, networking, and informational interviewing which provided you with the context to know why this opportunity is a perfect fit. I cannot stress enough that companies want to hear that you know what you want to do and that you are focused on what you are looking for.

Focus Your Passion

Companies want to see that you are passionate about the position that you are applying for. They want to see that you are eager to join their team and excited by doing the activities of that position.

When you apply for jobs, companies want to see that you are passionate about the position that you are applying for. They want to see that you are eager to join their team and excited by doing the activities of that position. I know this sounds incredibly basic, but so often, it is hard to assess whether people who are applying for roles are really interested and relevant. It is also important to think about the types of people you would like to work with, including but not limited to:

- Ideal management style

- Your preferred company culture

- Size/stage of company

Attention to this type of detail will allow you to focus your search on only those opportunities that could be a fit for you. (Every minute you spend applying for positions that are not a good fit is time that you could have spent perfecting your application for the position you really want. If you are guilty of sending out resumes with generic cover letters in bulk, hoping that something will magically stick, STOP!) Focus your efforts on positions you are truly interested in and, equally important, that are a good fit.

Focus Your Scope

Try not to apply for multiple types of jobs within the same company. This will make you look unfocused and could discredit your application for any and all of the jobs. For example, if you apply for a research job, a project management job and a business development job, within the same company, with the same resume and cover letter, the company will wonder if you are actually serious about any of these. Instead of contacting you, they will most likely contact other applicants who seem much more focused in their search.

Focus on Relevancy

As you begin applying for different roles, apply only for ones that you are relevant for. If you are applying for a role that is a reach, explain why you are relevant. Don't just gloss over it and assume that this will be obvious to the HR person(s) reviewing your resume. Trust me, it will not.

Focus Your Resume

Everyone should have a 10-30 second "elevator pitch" ready for when someone asks, "What do you want to do?" If you cannot come up with a succinct pitch, then you should do more research to solidify what you want to do and why.

When applying for jobs, ensure that your resume and cover letter are tailored for each role. I can't stress this enough. If you are applying for a research role, make sure your relevant research experience/techniques are front and center. If you are applying for more business focused roles, send a resume that reflects more of your business experience and training. You want companies to see that your background is a fit. If you have the right skills to fit their job description, then make it clear and tailor your resume and cover letter to the job. It's that simple. Focus Your Presence

LinkedIn is important. Don't give mixed messages. If you apply for a research role, an HR person may look at your LinkedIn page after you apply to learn more about you. If they do this and see that most of the emphasis is on business development, finance or other non-research areas, they might doubt the sincerity of your research interest and go with a stronger research-focused candidate. Your LinkedIn profile should reflect your job interests.

Focus Your Pitch

My last piece of advice for today is that everyone should have a 10-30 second "elevator pitch" ready for when someone asks, "What do you want to do?" If you cannot come up with a succinct pitch, then you should do more research to solidify what you want to do and why. People generally want to help individuals get connected and find the right opportunities, but it is really difficult to do this if you cannot articulate to them what you want.

In Conclusion...

The key to any successful venture, including looking for your next big thing, is first and foremost FOCUS, second FOCUS and finally FOCUS! Finding a new career can be daunting, but it can also be a wonderful opportunity to discover your passion for an exciting new career. With focus comes tremendous opportunity!