One of the problems that I usually see in most of the people I work with is the lack of clarity of their professional objective ; and sometimes, when they do, there is a lack of connection between their career objective with their skills, resume, experience and achievements, as well as their LinkedIn profile.
Although there are extreme situations, I like to help you think that a career change, although sometimes forced, helps to change your career path, so I always encourage you to make the most of this circumstance to re-confirm what the objective is. professional that you have.
The reality, unless you are lucky, is that we work throughout our lives, and it is a shame to see that up to almost 80% of people work at something they do not like or for which they have no talents.
This lack of connection between what you want, what you have talents for and your passion, with what you are really practicing as a profession is one of the biggest causes of frustration and stress.
Many of these cases deal with market situations, professionals who have no choice but to take any type of position due to economic needs, and are often inclined to study a career or practice a profession not because of their own decisions.
If you find yourself in this situation, consider that you have time until January to focus on what you can control and take the necessary actions to maximize the opportunities for success.
What to do to find the job that fits you?
I share with you 10 suggestions for you to put into practice between now and January.
1. The importance of having a professional objective
Regardless of whether you have more experience or not, it is crucial to be clear about your professional objective, since It will be the basis for an effective job search If you don’t know where you want to go, how are you going to convince a recruiter.
It is important that you do an analysis of your skills, achievements, personal characteristics, talents, values. This will help you create your professional profile. Even if you want to change sector, country, industry, don’t leave it aside It’s going to take more effort, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. If you like something and you are willing to work and be constant in your search, you will achieve it.
It is very important that you do a self-assessment of your knowledge, skills, values, talents and experience to see how to manage your job search and create a firm plan.
It is also essential to take into account your achievements. This is a big mistake that I see in most people. They work for years, but they are not aware or keep track of what their achievements have been in their previous jobs. And after several years it is very difficult to remember.
Pay attention to achievements that can be quantified, since it is the best way to make the interviewer see how you can contribute to the company. You help him see you in the workplace.
3. Productivity report
Once you are clear about your professional objective, Create an action plan that measures your productivity rate Your results will be proportional to your investment and your new job is to look for work, so your success depends largely on you.
Set daily and weekly priorities, and keep track of the vacancies you apply for, who you have contacted, and when you need to follow up. What is not measured cannot be improved, and this productivity report will help you see how you are managing your search.
4. Mentors
Get inspired by people who have the position you want to have Nowadays with social networks it is very easy to see their profiles, the terminology they use and how they describe themselves. They are a very good source of inspiration to touch up your LinkedIn profile and to learn from them.
Dare to ask for advice. You’ll be surprised how willing people are to help and even mentor you.
5. The important thing is not if you know it but if you do it
Take decisions and risks. It’s the only way to learn, even when you make mistakes It is important to plan and be clear about your professional objective, but the most important thing is to take action, since otherwise the previous work will have been of no use to you.
Seek progress, not perfection, since perfection does not exist. If you can afford to wait until you find the perfect job, do it. For most, the current situation is not one to pass up opportunities, so do not hesitate to start a job that is not ideal for you. The important thing is that, if possible, it provides you with new knowledge in some way, and that you always have your final destination in mind Your goal. There are many ways to get to your destination, and sometimes the straight line is not the shortest path.
Sometimes you have to take a step back or sideways, to be able to take three steps forward.
6. Be an eternal student
Many people are of the opinion that you have to change jobs every 5 years. That depends on the country and the culture, but the most important thing is to change roles and continue developing as a professional. Don’t stagnate. Because you never know when you will need to change jobs voluntarily or involuntarily.
You can have a very enriching career within a company. The important thing is not to stay in your comfort zone
7. Resume and cover letter
Do you know that your resume is most often read by a robot? This is one of the biggest mistakes I see people make. They use the same resume and cover letter for all the vacancies they apply for and that is what prevents them from being filtered.
You must personalize your resume and cover letter using the keywords of the vacancy. It is not negotiable. Or you will get frustrated applying without getting results.
Annually, review your professional objective, your CV and LinkedIn profile If you leave them, they will quickly become obsolete and then you will have a hard time updating them. Additionally, this allows you to take stock of your situation and know if it is still aligned with your long-term professional goal.
8. Be an eternal student
It is very important to stay up to date with the needs of the market and your profession to stay competitive. It is important to be up to date with direct knowledge of the job, such as new technologies, skills and languages.
Try to allocate time, and if you can budget, to do regular training Nowadays, thanks to the digital age, it is easy and cheap to stay educated and know market trends.
We are currently seeing the importance of globalization, mergers and commercial collaborations between companies, and the search for international expansion, which requires having resilient, agile employees with the ability to speak languages ​​and adapt to different cultures. Languages ​​can be your added value.
The job market is going to be very competitive, so Mastery of technology, languages ​​and specialization are added values although always maintaining the agility to learn new areas.
9. Networking
Do you know that almost 80% of vacancies are not published and that 80% of vacancies are filled thanks to networking? networking It is the most important source of job opportunities and must be included in your Professional Career Plan.
Make a network of contacts: current clients, colleagues, previous bosses, colleagues, clients, fellow students, parents of your children’s friends, family members… do not underestimate your contacts, because many times you will receive help from those who you least expect it.
Have career conversations with them (not ask for a job) to that they know what process of change of career direction you are in and what are your target industries and companies, in case they know of a project or can introduce you to someone.
The same is true with social media, especially LinkedIn. Contact all of these people, but it is important to do so when you already have your profile updated, since you want them to see the best version of you.
When applying for a vacancy, always try to contact the recruiters before and after the interview. It will make you stand out among other candidates.
10. Your professional brand
Throughout this process, your professional objective, your conversations and your interventions on social networks must be aligned. RRemember that your brand is what people think of you when you are not present
If you want to be a sales director, communicate as such and share articles that are of interest to a sales director. If you want to be a photographer, get into the role and line up your resume, LinkedIn profile, your cover letter and conversations, and speak like a photographer.
summarizing
Take the reins of your professional future. The key to success is planning and a long-term vision and consistency in implementation.
Create your personal brand: professional objective, resume, cover letter, career conversations and LinkedIn profile.
Besides, The confidence and security that you show when talking about your professional direction will be a magnet in your career conversations And don’t worry if you are changing direction, sector or position, since it is something natural and healthy. The important thing is that it leads you to do the job you want and above all that you know how to explain it in the interview. Security is attractive, so if you are clear about your professional direction and know how to explain it, you will convince them.
And always remember that the future is in your hands. If at any time you feel like you are begging from a company, that job is probably not for you. Allow yourself to design your life and let no one design it for you.
Author: Nieves RodrÃguez, Career Orientation Coach; offers Career Orientation Coaching sessions as well as its online course “Get the job you want, without frustration and in 3 simple steps”.
