How to Find New Wanted Job
Have you ever heard it said, “The easiest way to get a loan is to prove you don’t need one?” Well, a similar truism applies to the job search process. “The easiest way to find a new job is to not have to look for one.”
How do you accomplish this? Simply, have the job find you! Begin thinking like a hiring manager or search consultant, and make yourself easy to find. Most successful and talented people are so completely focused on their jobs that they seldom take time to market themselves the way they should. After all, why bother? They’re happy, challenged, and extremely busy, so another opportunity is the farthest thing from their minds. But while their work ethic may be admirable, their lack of personal marketing skills is not. Marketing “Me, Incorporated” is a continuous process and you should be constantly aware of opportunities that lead you closer to your long-term career/life goals.
When opportunity knocks, listen! You always want to be in the position of knowing about other opportunities, whether you have an immediate interest in them or not. It keeps you abreast of the marketplace, broadens your network, and is helpful as a measure of how your own career is progressing. So, how do you put yourself in a position to hear about opportunities? Raise your profile! How do you get discovered by search consultants and hiring managers? Raise your profile!.
Is your Rolodex looking a little thin? If so, you may want to increase your participation in professional associations and attendance at professional conferences and seminars. This can be an excellent way to meet new contacts, make lasting friendships, and stay on the forefront of your field. Search consultants know how important professional associations are and use their membership rosters extensively to identify the industry’s best. Active involvement in these associations, especially in a leadership position on the board, ensures that you’ll be among the first to know about the very best opportunities in your field. Benevolent associations can be another good way to network. City and country clubs, women’s organizations, and community groups also offer opportunities to raise your profile and make contact with key decision-makers. Don’t underestimate the benefit of well-timed notes to fellow members.
Stay in touch with friends and business associates on a regular basis. Keith Nave puts it this way, “Success in networking stems not from whom you know, but from who knows you!” You just never know where that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will come from. According to a recent study by Drake Beam Morin, networking is responsible for 61 percent of new hires. So, it would be hard to overstate its importance in your long-term career strategy.