Finding the perfect job is liking finding a needle in a haystack. It can seem nearly impossible, but it’s less daunting when you know what you want and where you want to go in your career. The exploration and discovery phase is all part of landing the perfect job. Let’s be completely honest, though, there really isn’t such thing as a perfect job. But there is such thing as the perfectly fit job! And you can land your own perfectly fit job by following these five steps:
- Identify your strengths and what you LOVE to do. Once you know these two things, the picture becomes much clearer. You know what position or role you’re after and what will be a good fit for you. It’s understanding your beliefs and core values as a person, because the culture of the company you work for has a direct impact on your happiness and success.
There are many different tests and books out there to help you identify your strengths and what position or role may interest you. Here are a few of our suggestions for determining your strengths:- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
- O*Net Interests Profiler
- DISC Profile
- What Color is Your Parachute by Richard N. Bolles
- Strength Finders 2.0 by Tom Rath and David de Vries
- Network. Network. Network. The larger your network is, the easier it will be to find that perfectly fit job. Having good connections with people across many industries exposes you to more potential opportunities in the professional world. It also allows you to more easily research companies (the next step). Networking allows others to see your strengths, so they can share with you when there are job openings at their firm or others they are exposed to.
- Do your research. What companies will embrace your strengths and align with your core values? By researching online and talking to current and past employees of a firm, you learn many things about that company. Talk to several different people. You can even visit with some of their clients. It’s good to be prepared when you go in for an interview and show you’ve done some research about their business. It’s research that comes in handy during your interview, but it also allows you to analyze their business and if you want to work for them.
- Ask lots of questions when you are interviewing. Good questions get good answers. Good answers allow you to make the right decision about the position, but you must ask the right questions. Before your interview, make a list of questions you want to ask. This may include:
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- Why did the previous person leave this position?
- What are the goals and expectations of this position?
- Will I receive internal or external training for this position?
- What are the biggest opportunities for the firm?
- What gets you most excited about the company’s future?
- What are my advancement opportunities within the company? Will I have opportunities of ownership?
- Does my position/department have a budget?
- What does your benefits package look like? (Get the detailed plan from them, so you can closely review it.)
There are many other questions you should ask but these are just a few to get you thinking. It’s also okay to ask if you can reach out after the interview should any additional questions come to mind. Most employers are glad you are thinking about the position and how you can help them.
Make sure when you accept a position, there are clear expectations and a job description provided (if they don’t have one, write your own and give it to the employer). One of the positions I took didn’t have a job description when I went in to talk to my soon-to-be supervisor. I told him I would write a job description based on our conversation, so we both understood what the role would like. He was impressed that I asked questions and thought through so many things about the position. He saw the initiative I brought to the table and knew I had a unique skillset that would help his business grow. In the 20 months I worked there, the company’s revenue nearly doubled and their profit tripled. (Obviously there was an entire team that helped make this happen, but I was a contributor to that success.)
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- Be confident in yourself. You can do it. This not only applies to the interview process but to your entire professional career. If you don’t know something, just admit it, and then find the answer. Confidence is asking and taking action. Successful people are afraid, but they take action and make things happen. That’s why they are successful. Successful people also fail more times than unsuccessful people, because they don’t give up until they find the right solution or answer. Believe In Yourself. Exude Confidence.
Landing the perfectly fit job takes time and effort. It’s practically a full-time job in and of itself. But once you find it, the magic will start to happen. You will be happier overall, you’ll feel accomplished, and be a part of something greater than yourself.
Nu marketing can help you enhance your online presence through social media platforms and assist with resume writing. Contact us today!
