How to win the 2018 job search challenge?

In March this year, I had the privilege to share my insights on how to build an authentic Personal Brand as a means to drive a meaningful and successful career at Udacity Accelerate Berlin. One question that remained prevalent, after my talk with participants still on the job hunt on this day and in other engagements I have been a part of was “ Still, How do I get a  job?”. Due to time and context, it’s never possible to give individual guidance, however with this post I hope to answer this question in more detail.

There are three fundamental questions I believe one needs to address before embarking on the job search journey. Whether you have just upskilled, you are changing careers or simply continuing your career journey.

1. What - What is it that you want to do? What role are you looking for?. One of the uttermost mistakes you can make as a job seeker is to tell a recruiter or anybody you would like help from is that “You would like to do anything!”  I don’t blame you for this and neither should anybody. At times, we find ourselves in situations that force us to take anything available for survival sake. Choose not to stay there if that is the case. Know what it is you want and can do. Write it down somewhere from your highest to the least favorable. It is your responsibility to know this.
2. Why - Purpose is everything. Why you do what you do? This question is important because it helps you see if the role you are looking for will fit in the broader spectrum of your career journey. How does this next job fit into the career you are building? In fact, you will be asked in all your interviews, why this role? Interviewers can tell when your answer comes from within. Be brave enough to wow them.
3. How - Now that you know what you would like to do and why you need to plan on how you are going to go about arriving at your end destination which is getting the Job.

What you will need

A great resume - Your resume is your first introduction to the company. Tailor your resume to speak to the role you are applying for. The way you describe your previous roles should clearly demonstrate that you certainly can do the job you are applying for. Use keywords, not just for the sake of it but because you have experience and knowledge in what is being sought. Make your resume short and concise. Choose an easy to read font and check for spelling mistakes. We all make them, so check before you press send.

An active online presence - Successful job seekers have a great online presence, either through personal blogs or platforms such as LinkedIn and Medium. They state their career objectives, they demonstrate what they can do for their network. Most people know what they do and what they are interested in. Sourcers and Recruiters spend most of their time looking for talent online if you are inactive online, the probability that you will be found become very limited.

A strong network - Your network is your net worth. Which groups do you belong to? How active is the community your work in? Your peers, mentors, and friends are likely to refer you to jobs in their network more than people who don’t know you. Networking can be hard, which I totally understand. My recommendation, try instead to become an active participant in groups and communities. Rather than going to look for a job only try volunteering, try becoming a co-organiser and see how much positive value you will gain from that. Don’t just seek to participate, get involved, add value.

Eventually, you will find a job. The more time you dedicate to answering these three fundamental questions will determine the depth of your outcome.The road will be bumpy, as the competition gets stronger in the market. However if planned right, your strategy should yield some results. Trust the process, know what you want to do, tell everyone about it because you firmly believe you are good at it and keep adding value, always.