Are You A SMART Job Seeker?
If you want the qualities of a successful job seeker, consider:
1) Strategy: Most job seekers have none, or poor strategies for approaching job search. There are hundreds of applicants per job via electronic listing and many looking for work still use this method as their main approach when only 15% of jobs are found online.
2) Mindset: The set of beliefs and attitudes you hold about your self will always show up in your demeanor. This may not be in your favor if you’re letting defeating ideas about your chances of success limit your social connections. Think of every encounter as part of the hiring process.
3) Relationship: Invite activities that help you grow your relationship savvy. 85% of positions are filled by word of mouth. You are much more likely to be remembered and considered if you are a known quantity. Even a brief chat can light a spark with someone if you can get them to recognize a commonality between what they want and what you can provide!
The right way to build relationships
Resolve any issues around what you really want to achieve, by having criteria for setting goals:
Specific: Can you express what you want in a concise statement? For example: I want to be a women’s sportswear buyer for Macy’s. This is a specific goal that will structure how you go about meeting the right people to achieve your goal.
Measurable: Is your goal measurable? Can you break it into steps such as: I need to make enough contacts to get to the hiring manager in three weeks. I’ll give myself five days to rewrite my resume and collect a couple more references. By making your actions measurable you can track your progress and see where you need improvement.
Attainable: Do you believe you can attain it? If you can see yourself in the desired outcome, you can make it happen. The key is to make sure your own beliefs support you in this. Self-imposed limitations will sabotage your efforts. Thoughts like: “I don’t have enough of the right experience.” Or: “I’m not sure I’ll fit the corporate culture.” will hold you back by keeping you fearful.
Realistic: If your beliefs are on shaky ground seek a reality check from people who can support you, who can point you to resources and tips to help you get there. You can strengthen and refine your belief in what is realistic if you can rely on a wider range of input than just your own perspective.
Toward: Think only in terms of what you are moving toward. Don’t divert your attention with worries about an undesired outcome. There is a lot that works in your favor when being single minded.
Why most people don’t succeed at goal setting
1) They start asking themselves: How? How am I going to do this? How am I going to find the time? When you ask these questions you are starting to make stories around your imagined limitations and you risk talking yourself out of it.
2) Why do you want what you want? If you can’t list more than a few reasons, you won’t have enough motivation during the tough times. Stay in touch with why you are doing this.
3) You’ll know you have answered enough “why” questions when you can wake up every morning looking forward to the outcome of your goal.
Now who do you need to meet and build relationships with first, how do you find these people? When you find people already successful at what you want to be doing, you can learn from them. Modeling the actions and success steps of other successful people will help you learn how to duplicate that success.
By soaking up the beliefs, attitudes and strategies of your role model, you’ll begin to lose that sense of intimidation. Once your brain believes: “This person is not smarter or better than me. I can do the same thing.” Then you can do it.