By

Bill Cottringer

     Although the post-pandemic job market is starting to lean toward favoring employees over employers, it is still a difficult challenge to find the right job today. Success requires some serious preparatory work in the following three areas, in making the attempt to market yourself better and stand out from the rest of the crowd.

Job

     All of us have a specific vocational purpose to discover and apply the natural skills and abilities we were born with, to succeed in carrying out that purpose. It is a good idea to know what this purpose is earlier on, because that way you get more time to enjoy work as fun. At any rate, starting the job search begins with looking for the right job that matches your core values in life and which you can apply your best knowledge, skills and abilities to succeed in making your contribution and be happy doing.

    You will want to carefully analyze the job description or job opening notice, to make sure there is a potential fit with your qualifications and the minimal and preferred job requirements.  Study the job duties and requirements closely in terms of what you like to do, what you are good at doing which others have recognized, your past and present experiences, and the specific knowledge, skills and abilities that you can bring to the job.  Don’t discount your transferrable skills that can close any gap between your past jobs and the present job duties and requirements. People change careers more frequently today, so this is less of a problem as it has been in the past.

   If there is an opportunity, show the initiative to arrange an informational interview to find out some helpful information about what the employer is really looking for, how the selection process and interview will proceed, what it is like to work for the employer, what core values are in-place, what the history has been and what the future looks like. This is a good way to make the unfamiliar more familiar with you, the job and the employer.

    All jobs have plus and minus aspects once you get your feet a little wet, which may not be so apparent at first. An important part of a good job fit is when you have more upsides with the job than downsides and that none of the minuses will offend your soul as an unnegotiable deal-breaker. This may be a good question to consider asking during an informational interview, to get rid of any elephants hiding under the carpet.

Application

     Most job applications have to be submitted on-line now, so you should have all your personal and contact information, work history details and references organized for easy retrieval and quick, accurate data entry, as well as all important documents scanned and ready for uploading. Some jobs require supplemental answers to job specific questions, so it is a good idea to work up a personal summary of common requirements like effective oral and written communication, creative problem-solving, successful conflict resolution, change adaptability and time management strategies, team player attitude and what you liked or disliked about your previous jobs or supervisors.

    Whether you submit a 1–2-page resume or detailed CV will depend upon the particular job you are applying for. Many employers prefer quality shorter resumes (because of the sheer volume they are dealing with) that can easily be scanned for presence of key words related to the job requirements and qualifications, that are usually stated in the job description of announcement notice. Your resume must be appealing enough and clearly show you are a potential fit for the job on paper, to get an in-person (or virtual) interview. Make sure you emphasize the right knowledge and skills you have experience with that are directly related to succeeding in the job you are applying for.

     Cover letters are growing in importance within the selection process. The best approach is to organize your cover letter around the specific job requirements in the stated job notice, and then give substantial proof you have successful experiences in doing each of those requirements in past jobs, with sufficient details about how you succeeded. Also, be prepared to attach the more relevant documents you have as back-up, if appropriate. It may be advisable to err on the side of more is better, than risking being too short. Be confident but humble.

Interview

     Other than entry level jobs, many employers prefer to promote current employees from within the company or organization. The reasoning is morale-related and the fear of unfamiliarity of an outsider as an unknown variable. You should carefully investigate this issue, and if appropriate take the initiative to make some connections with the HR Department or selection committee, to overcome the unfamiliarity problem in any way you can ahead of time.

    It is helpful to find out as much about the employer as you can and doing some on-line research about the person or people who will be interviewing you. This maybe gathering pictures and bios and initiating informational interviews to close the gap. And asking good questions related to something interesting you found out about the interviewer(s), when appropriate, is a good way to build connections.

    The paperwork you submitted for the job is usually what gets you an interview. The purpose of the interview is for the interviewer(s) to get learn who is the best candidate for the job among those being interviewed. This is when you have to present your best self in actively demonstrating why you are a better choice for the job. Anticipate tough questions beforehand—like how you overcame a past mistake at work or how you reacted to not being able to solve a difficult problem—and practice spontaneous answers ahead of time.

     Go into the interview as relaxed as you can, knowing the interviewer(s) maybe a little tense themselves. Eat and sleep well the night before and exercise the day of the interview. Listen to the questions carefully and give some thought to your answers. If you feel that  you didn’t answer a question as well as you wanted to, you can always ask to clarify your answer at the end. Throughout the interview focus on being likeable by being agreeable, positive, honest, empathetic, spontaneous, balanced, poised, confident and sensitive. And finally, good interviews are two-way so ask good questions to make sure of your way.

   If you don’t get the job, it is helpful to discover why not so you can improve any shortcomings the next time. But unfortunately, some employers do not have the time or inclination for giving critical feedback. And we all have to accept the possibility of not getting a job just because it wasn’t meant to be or that something else better is waiting in the wind.