Understanding your own experience and beyond.

This is arguably the most important edition of the 'Elevate your Job Search' series. It's all well and good having a great network and reputation now, but if you don't understand your own experience, what it means and what you are relevant for then how will anyone else?

Gone are the days where the recruiter or employer helps you understand your own experience and where it fits in their business (that's the job of someone like me) people are time poor with an abundant of applicants and internal options for every opportunity out there.

If you are lucky enough to have an interview you will have a minuet amount of time to cover small talk, your experience, questions and get your personality across, so if you are confused by your own experience you will be wasting precious time to explain it.

But I obviously understand my own experience!?

Sure, you understand you own job and its responsibilities, what a good day or bad day looks like but do you actually know how it fits into the bigger picture of the organisation? Likelihood is, your turn up to do your job as well as you can and then you leave and switch off until 9am the next day.. (I realise that's a sweeping statement but its true in most cases).

Again most people tend to wait until they are promoted a few times and because the role requires more understanding and responsibility then people see the bigger picture, but what I am suggesting you do is try to understand it as early into your career as possible. Because I promise once you see the bigger picture all will become easier and you will become more successful and a much better employee/ business person.

Ok so how do you suggest I start understanding my own experience better?

Start by looking at why your role exists in the first place. Then think about your bosses role and their bosses role until you get to the top of the business. What happens if your role did not exist or if it was done badly. What would happen if you did your role even better than you currently did.

All the answers to the above questions will give you more context to the bigger picture. Now think about your peers both in your company and in other companies (like competitors) do they do things differently? Better or worse than you? How far off from a promotion are you? Would you enjoy it more somewhere else? Would moving on beneficial to your career? Try to go into detail with your answers.

These are all key questions because the answer could be you are exactly where you should be and moving does not make sense. They should also give you a better idea of timelines like does it make sense to wait to be promoted because the role above yours is more highly sought after?

It's important to ask yourself the difficult questions too..

• Have you been overlooked for promotions? If yes why..Often businesses reward and promote people when its the right time, if you have been overlooked is that down to you?
• If you handed in your notice would your company counter offer?If you don't think your company would counter offer what does that say about you and your importance to the business? How long would it take them to replace you?
• Do you have a good reputation in the business?Are you highly thought of by your peers? Popular? Would you be missed if you left?
• Have you been in your job for long?If not, does it look good on your CV if you are leaving already? Have you really tried to make it work? Could you have done more to suss out what it was going to be like before you accepted?
• Do you actually enjoy the job you do?No? Why are you still doing it? Likelihood is it comes across which is not fun for your peers to be around, do something about it.
• What is the real reason you are looking for a job? Are you just bored? Don't like your colleagues? Or the brands you are working on? Would moving make it better?
• Do you just need a side hustle or passion project?Sometimes people are looking for money or something to give them purpose, could that be found in a side hustle or passion project?
• Are you willing to take a pay cut or stay the same?If you are looking to do something completely different it is really unlikely you will get a bigger salary, are you willing to take the hit?
• What has kept you at this company for so long? The real reason..Is it the people? Or you have been comfortable? Why is now the right time?
• What type of business would your character/ personality suit? Go further and what type of manager would you suit working with?Not everyone is suitable for every company. Not every person is suitable to work closely with just anyone. Awareness of this will help in your job search.
• Could you do more to be better at your job?Important question because have you really made the most of the opportunities at your current company? If not why not? This is abit of a red flag because what makes you a good hire for the next business if you do not seize opportunities and go above and beyond?

Once you have answered all these questions, would you hire you? Are you hard done by or did you put yourself in this situation? Do you have the resources and motivation to make a change?

But I am not working right now and I just need a job..

The same still applies but you just have to be way more proactive whilst being super tactical. Don't just hit the apply button to every job that says 'Account Manager' understanding your own experience and applying to relevant things still applies.

Have you considered finding something temporary to tide you over? Here are some ideas on how to earn quick cash to tide you over: https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/danoatesbff_need-to-make-some-cash-and-fast-i-have-activity-7138466670796337152-wyvA?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Please do reach out to me direct as well to see how I can help.

So now you know more about your own experience..

...You should also have a much better idea now about what roles you are relevant for, like really relevant for. STOP applying to random roles that your experience just is not suitable for. It is actually counter productive because once the computer says no it says no forever.

You should not really need to apply to lots of roles the conventual way (clicking the apply button and hoping for the best) have a read of my previous article about personal branding and networking. If you apply the tips across the 2 newsletters you will be onto a winner.

If all else fails get in touch with me to help you.

What is the best way to get in touch with you Dan for more advice?

Great question.. You can always message me directly or feel free to schedule a call in my diary here: https://calendly.com/dan-bff/30-minute-meeting

As always, everyone should have a Recruitment BFF!