Finding The Job That’s Right For You
Whether you are unhappy in your current job, or currently out of work and searching, you owe it to yourself to find the job that’s right for you – one where you can be happy and give your best, and that in turn rewards you appropriately for your efforts.
The process is not as complicated or time consuming as you might think. It’s actually a lot of fun, and an interesting exercise because it helps you better understand what you want from a career. If you have a job already, it’s even easier because there’s no pressure and you come across as more employable. And if you don’t have a job, well, you do now. Throw yourself into the process (I dare you), and you’ll be wondering what you were worried about in no time.
The general order of things is as follows:
- Develop a contact list from people you know, events you go to, etc
- Call contacts to arrange an informal meeting to discuss their company and their role. Don’t send your resume.
- At the meeting, ask interesting questions and be genuine. Prepare like you would for an interview. Don’t give a resume unless asked. Expand your contact list through this person.
- Follow up with a letter and a phone call.
- Repeat.
Below is a detailed explanation for each step.
1. Networking – It’s not what you know, but who you know
First and foremost – Don’t send your resume (or CV) to companies. Networking is key. You probably already know that, but it can’t be overstated. To go about it correctly, you need to get out there and talk to people face to face. As you will probably have seen, there is no success in simply sending your resume to a company as they will very rarely respond, especially if it’s a cold call and even if it’s an advertised job – because the cold truth of the matter is that they usually have someone in mind already. They’re not being rude, they’re just…OK, they’re being rude. But they can afford to be. Who are you to them, anyway?
First of all, think of all the people you know: friends, colleagues at work (or former workplaces) who you trust, family, teachers, waiters, hairdressers – literally anyone who might know someone in the particular industry you are interested in. Start a list (get an address book) of these people who they suggest. This is your contacts list and will grow with time.
Go to functions/parties/dinners/presentations where you might meet people. Get people’s business cards and make sure you have some of your own to hand out. There are special networking seminars and luncheons put on specifically for that purpose. It’s possible a local recruitment agency could help you with these.
2. The Call – Be confident
From your contact list, start to make some calls. Be prepared – practise on a friend first. When you finally build up the courage to make the call (the first one is always the most difficult – trust me, it gets easier), tell them you’re interested in finding out about companies in your specific industry to broaden your horizons, and that you’re interested in their specific company and what type of work it does. Tell them how you got their name; say whichever reference it was in 1 above that put you in touch, and make sure you get the reference’s permission first. Better still, ask the reference if they could call the relevant contact to say you will be in touch.
Then request a meeting for an hour or so, maybe over lunch so it won’t disrupt their workday too much (you pay of course!!), to ask them some questions about their role and their business. When you ask them for the meeting, be positive and confident. Don’t be afraid. The absolute worst they can say is no, but most people are willing to give time to an interested, enthusiastic person, if only to relieve their own tedium at work. If they do insist on not meeting you, then ask if they know anyone else who might be interested in their company, in other companies etc. And so your contact list grows.
3. The Meeting – First impressions last
When you go to the meeting, make sure you have interesting questions about the role of the individual and the company. The meeting will take about an hour, so think about how the meeting will go. Be interesting, talk about yourself where appropriate but don’t overdo it.
It is imperative to make sure you’re genuinely interested in the company and have done your research – just as you would for an interview. But of course it’s not an interview, it’s just a casual meeting for which you have fully prepared (and brought a few resumes in your bag, and dressed smartly). The idea is to make your first impression stick so that when a position does come up, they will think of you first; and even if they don’t have a position, they might be considering making one that fits your skills.
At the end of the meeting, thank them for their time and ask if they know of anyone who might be able to speak to you about other companies. If they ask for a resume, give them one (oh look, I happened to bring one along!!) but otherwise don’t force it on them.
4. Follow Up – It’s critical
Make sure after a couple of days you follow up. Write a thank you email/letter saying how much you appreciated their time and ask again if they can think of anyone else that might be interested in talking to you. Give them a call a week later just to follow up further and to remind them of your interesting personality. All of these dates/timelines should be noted in your contacts list – how the meeting went, what you thought of the company/person, who else they recommended.
Now repeat the process – move to the next contact on your list. Challenge yourself to find alternative avenues to develop more contacts. Find pleasure in meeting new people while at the same time learning about what you desire from a career. In no time you will be presented with employment opportunities that you will have to give careful consideration to.
Continue to grow your contact list even after you have taken a job, and enjoy the networking experience throughout your career – because ultimately it is not just simply about an employer finding another body or you taking the first opportunity that comes along, but about the development of a mutual respect between employee and employer which will reward both parties to the fullest potential for the rest of their working relationship.