How to Find a Job

Vitally Important, Rarely Taught

Finding a job involves two key steps: first, marketing yourself, and then selling yourself as the ideal candidate.

Marketing is the process of creating awareness among your customers about your brand. It’s about getting their attention, making a connection, and building trust. It is the art of understanding people's wants and needs and helping them achieve it.

Although the marketing and sales processes in a job hunt run parallel, the sales process is more important once you receive an interview call.

But how do you find the company (the customer) that is looking for someone like you?

Typically, you create a profile on job sites like Indeed, Monster, and Glassdoor, and receive notifications whenever a job matching your skills and experience is advertised. However, after applying for several such jobs, you may find yourself wondering why you haven't received an interview call. A similar experience often occurs when applying through LinkedIn.

One or more of the following reasons may explain why you didn’t move to the next stage:

1. You weren’t a good match and the ATS (Application Tracking System) did not find the keywords in your resume.

2. You did not network and had no one backing you up.

3. You did not write a (good) cover letter.

Let me give you an analogy here. Imagine opening an e-commerce store and feeling disappointed when no one visits your website.

The question is how does a potential customer find you among millions of other websites on the internet? How do you draw traffic to your website?

The answer is - “Marketing”.

Similarly, in the job search process, the key is to figure out how to “Market” ourselves.

Applying for jobs and launching a website is the easy part. The hard part is to do the marketing & sales.

To begin with, we have to find answer to the following two questions:

1. Who You Are: This self-assessment helps you to understand your personal brand and how you can present yourself to potential employers. Your brand has fingerprints - you are unique. Crafting your ‘value proposition’ [why they should choose you over other candidates] and articulating it to employers are essential steps in authentically showcasing your true self.

2. What You Want: Knowing your goals allows you to target your job search effectively. It helps in identifying the types of roles and companies that align with your aspirations, ensuring that you apply for jobs that match your career objectives and personal desires.

[If you've been following along, you'll notice that I've suggested shifting your focus from "How to Find 'A' Job" to "How to Find 'The' Job.]

Let's begin by addressing the first part: understanding ourselves. Stay sharply focused on the attributes of the product — that's you. Take a blank piece of paper and jot down your education, skills, and experience, and what makes you different. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the answers yet.

Now, let's move on to what you desire. Consider the job you aspire to have (be practical). Take a top-down approach: think about your preferred industry, company, and role. For instance, you might envision yourself working in the pharmaceutical sector, admire a company like J&J, and aspire to the position of Sales Manager there.

With the above done, now do the following two things:

1. Make new connections. Leverage the power of LinkedIn. Seek out individuals who hold positions like Sales Manager at companies such as J&J, Unilever, or P&G. Reach out to them, requesting a coffee chat, and inquire about their journey to their current role. Be genuine and authentic in your approach. Additionally, attend career events to expand your network. If you identify any gaps in certification, skills, or experience, take steps to acquire them. Don't hesitate to gain experience even if it means working for free initially. Demonstrate your genuine commitment and determination to pursue this career path.

2. Visit the career page of the chosen companies. Create a profile and browse through the available positions. Tailor your resume to match the specific role you're interested in. Even if not explicitly requested, consider submitting a cover letter—it's an opportunity to articulate why you're the ideal candidate. If you've followed the previous steps diligently, you may have cultivated mentors who can offer guidance and support to enhance your chances of success. These mentors will also connect you to more people. In short, broaden your network and make your presence known to the world.

The preceding steps constituted the marketing phase, aimed at reaching a stage where you begin receiving meaningful interview invitations.

The next phase - How to crack interview(s) is a different challenge altogether. It is the sales part. I am sure internet is full of strategies to help you ace interviews. In short do this:

1. Preparation is the key. Be fully prepared regarding your own capabilities, the role, the company and the industry. You can't afford to stumble on anticipated questions such as "Why you?", "Why this role?", or "Why this company?" These are opportunities to make a lasting impression. Additionally, be ready for seemingly trivial questions like "Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses."

2. Communicate clearly. Take the time to understand the question, structure your response, and speak deliberately. Avoid rambling; a concise, well-structured answer is more impactful.

3. Be authentic. There is no point in getting a job by lying. Similar to relationships, trust forms the foundation of a job. Since we invest a significant portion of our lives at work, it's crucial to ensure we're in the right environment.

In an interview we are pitching ourselves. Sales is about convincing someone to do something. It’s about persuading someone to take an action. In this case to hire you.

Please remember, people buy from those whom they know, like and trust. I had mentioned some good strategies in my sales post, that you may apply during the interview phase.

Please also keep in mind the example I gave in my sales post about Joe Girard - his phenomenal achievement lied in his disciplined approach of planting a lot of seeds. Apply as much as you can. Prospecting and qualifying leads are essential aspects of sales. Take lots of action.

In Summary

1. Know what you want and acquire necessary skills and experience for that position.

2. Make new professional connections and learn from them.

3. Learn to sell yourself. But be authentic.

4. Apply extensively. Surpassing all others in quantity and effort.

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