Don’t Know What You Want In a Job? Stop and Engage in Self-Examination

If you missed our introductory blog post to this series last month, make sure to check it out here: What To Do When Your Job Search Is Not Working

A successful job search requires that you identify and articulate your “career vision” — the type of work environment, location and lifestyle, and job you want — so that when you look for potential job opportunities, you can see if it will be a good fit, based on your identified values.

Author Lewis Carroll wrote, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” The same is true in your job search. People who say, “I just want a job, any job” will actually have a harder time finding a job than someone who knows what they want!

With that in mind:

• Have you clearly defined what kind of job you want? You don’t have to limit your search to this company profile, but defining what kind of environment is most attractive to you is a good place to start.
• Ask yourself:

–    What am I good at?

–    What am I not so good at?

–    What do I like doing?

–    What skills do I need to update in order to stay current?

• Can you clearly describe the value you would bring to the company? In her book, Résumé Magic, author Susan Whitcomb identifies 12 specific needs most companies have. These include the company’s desire to:

–    Make money.

–    Save money.

–    Save time.

–    Make work easier.

–    Solve a specific problem.

–    Be more competitive.

–    Build relationship / an image.

–    Expand business.

–    Attract new customers.

–    Retain existing customers.

Think about how you’re able to help an employer meet these “employer buying motivators” and define who you are and who you want to work for.

Our next blog post will tackle another aspect of your job search that may not be working for you: Not Getting Interviews.

Note: This blog post only touches on certain aspects of this topic and is not a comprehensive list. This blog post is an educational and informational resource for job seekers and is not a substitute for working with a resume writer or other professional. See our Terms and Conditions for additional information.