In the traditional marketplace, potential employers seem to have the upper hand… but like the ol’ half full glass of water, remember that from the employer’s view available top talent seems like a sea of unwashed faces, too.
So what is it that the job seeker can control to make THEIR face stand out…network to and interview with the true decision maker… BE the chosen one?
THIS Week’s Session: Thursday, July 12th at The Egg and I…
Embracing The OTHER Job Market
Standing-out in the “sea of unwashed faces” becomes the simple matter of adjusting ones sales when in the challenging waters of career transition.
Create an expectation of who you are and what you can do for your next employer by clearly positioning and targeting your collateral materials, both written and verbal. When stating your career objective, clearly state your appropriate work and make an offer of your services.
Here are some tips on becoming a valued partner…
Walk the talk. Nothing speaks louder than results…. From the recruitment perspective, the best indicator of one’s potential for success is one’s prior experience and results gained. A partner helps others within the organization achieve their goals. And results require actions, not just words. The better the results you get, the more likely you are to be invited on to ‘the team.’
Deep knowledge. You must have a true understanding of every aspect of the business, how all the moving parts work together, the obstacles ahead, and intimate knowledge of the competition in the marketplace. In other words, you’ve done your homework and understand your potential employer’s need. And you must be able to articulate your understanding to anyone involved in the decision-making process in a manner that demonstrates that you truly get it.
Two of the many ways of accomplishing this image are to…
- Keep a file of relevant articles to share with key decision-makers, take advantage of the approaches that email and social media have to offer… create and maintain top-of-mind awareness.
- Further, create a set of ‘white papers’ that express, from your knowledge and experience, your perspective on relevant issues to your Profession or industry of choice.
Listen well. Everyone loves to feel that they have been heard and understood. One attribute of leadership is being known as a good listener. And if you can reiterate and articulate what has been said, you will be valued as a partner in the decision-making process.
Remember, as a job seeker, NETWORKING is your way to share knowledge, ‘branding’ yourself as a valued resource. It is also your best source of confirming the subjective information you seek to supplement your research of factual information about a potential employer.
Big picture thinking. Having a strategic vision requires you to see all areas of the business, internal and external. This is a valuable trait well beyond the C-suite. If you only have a deep understanding of one area, you are more likely to be tactical in your decisions, rather than strategic.
You must be able to foresee problems from the stakeholders’ perspective in order to offer the most highly valued and comprehensive solutions.
Tying all of this together, the best way to be treated like a valued partner is to act like one. The more you demonstrate your value, the more you will become recognized as the new go-to person in the organization.
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