Hands up if you’ve ever felt so desperate that you’ve fired out close to a thousand resumes to every job that sounded even remotely better than the job you were in? Maybe this is you today, along with the millions of other people in the workforce, reportedly feeling burnt out and fed up with their current work situation - the “great resignation” is no joke! So, you know it’s time for a new job, but how do you know that the next place you land will be any more fulfilling, any less demanding or any better at all, save for the first few months of newly-wed bliss we all expect?
Jennifer Hargreaves, founder of tellent and the Propeller Experience, urges you to explore this analogy when it comes to landing a new job:
“There are plenty of fish in the sea. But do you think a seasoned fisher(person) would blindly cast their line, without considering a plethora of elements, conditions, and the very fish they were trying to catch? No. They’d pay heed to the depth of the waters, the weather, the time of day and the bait they needed to catch the intended fish. They wouldn’t be casting blindly.” Jennifter continues, “Before you get to the brass tacks of your job hunt (Randstad knows a thing or two and can help you with this!), I invite you to get a major job search advantage and find a role you love with these five steps:”
1. get clear on your aiming point
The first four weeks of the Propeller Experience program are devoted to working on your mindset. Exercises are completed to get you clear on what you really want, with the objective of writing a goal statement that will drive your entire career strategy. If anything is an option - what do you want to do? Maybe you’ll have a revelation you’re ready to leave the formal workforce and start your own thing! Get clear on what you really want, repeat it daily, and your efforts will be so laser focussed that you’ll be hard-pressed to not achieve your goals.
2. get good at networking
A dizzying 85% of jobs are filled outside of traditional job boards. That means it comes down to who you know and word-of-mouth. That’s great news for you, because in this connected day-and-age you have the power to reach out to key decision makers or employees of companies that align with your aiming point. The key here is to keep your aforementioned Aiming Point in mind, reach out to contacts with a clear ask, and hopefully offer them something in return. Sometimes all that something is, is a compliment or observation of work of theirs that you admire. A little goes a long way!
3. tailor your application
By now you should have an idea of what you want to do, where you want to work or the kinds of clients you want to attract if you’re entering entrepreneurship or the gig industry. It’s time to put the pieces of the formal application together. Your LinkedIn profile, website if you have one and any other public-facing forums should be clear about who you are, what you are seeking and what makes you stand out from the crowd. When it comes to applying for specific roles, roll up your sleeves and tailor your cover letter and resume based on the job posting or what you’ve learned about the company during your networking and researching. Recruiters do not want to see a generic application. It’s no sense even applying if you aren’t willing to put in a little elbow grease.
4. schedule it
If it’s not in your calendar it’s not likely to happen! Block out time for researching companies, networking emails and calls, and tailoring job applications. It won’t feel so all-consuming and will allow you to be far more efficient with your time so it isn’t a full-time job in itself.
5. keep building your desired skill sets
Do not feel limited to applying to jobs that you have a 100% skills match to (in fact, it’s in your best interest to refrain from applying to those jobs as you likely won’t feel challenged and fulfilled long term). You can feel confident that a good employer expects you to build the bulk of skills on the job, so go ahead and apply if the job fits your Aiming Point! If however, during your Aiming Point exercise, you’ve discovered that you have a desire to enter an entirely new industry, it may be worth seeking out some formal training in that field. Propeller Experience was designed to bridge that gap, with three unique skill streams covering Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Digital Skills.
Propeller Experience learner, Kathryn, had this to share:
“This leadership module has really blown my mind. Finding a career that works for me has felt like an almost overwhelming challenge where the goal creeps further away the longer I leave it. This leadership course validated and built upon my skill set, with incredible instructors and coaches who were championing me the whole way, inspiring me to follow my career dreams because I can do it, I have what it takes and I'm worth it.”
Finding a new job won’t happen overnight, but you’ll feel less scattered and more intentional by employing these steps, as well as be far more likely to find a job that offers the sustainability, longevity and the intellectual and financial satisfaction that you are after.
about tellent
Tellent bridges the talent gap in the new work economy and aims at increasing women’s economic contribution, progressing gender equity and preparing companies for evolving workforce trends in order to stay competitive in the future of work. The platform includes a job board and virtual networking platform.
about randstad canada
Randstad Canada is a leader in the HR services industry and specializes in flexible work solutions. As a trusted partner in the digital world of talent, we combine the expertise and passion of our people with the most innovative HR technologies to support talent and organizations in realizing their true potential.