As a job seeker, do you really have any control when it comes to securing the right position?
It's a rat race out there!
As you scroll through the endless lists of job offers, whether they are relevant to your skill set or not, do you sometimes feel frustrated, unheard, unseen? It takes a considerable effort to keep on going, when you are newly qualified or when you are competing with 'super candidates' that seem to have everything in place (professionally at least).
As an educational specialist, I've asked the 'what' question several times:
What do employers want?
What makes a school leader who’s hiring, do the happy dance when ploughing through a plethora of CV's and resumes, looking for the 'ideal candidate'?
There are a great number of factors that employers take into consideration when making the decision to hire and whether we like it or to there's always going to be a bias. Such as, a bias towards great qualifications from recognised institutions, with a lot of relevant experience,
Here are a few more influencing factors:-
The right - skills, values, level of cultural awareness
Expertise in participating as a sound team member
Being organised
Doing a job with minimal supervision
Working as a productive problem solver
Communicating effectively (adequate written and oral skills)
Being ‘work ready’
Speaking and presenting yourself confidently
Exuding creativity
Displaying initiative
If you are fairly new to the job market, it’s challenging to think about the ‘how’ when looking at that list. The question, ‘How on earth?’ may spring to mind. I believe that the how comes from considering all of the attributes of your journey, to date.
In addition to work, possibly as an intern, some transferrable skills may show up from work done as a volunteer; or when you function in various roles within your home environment and wider community (such as baby sitting, leading a group of Brownies, teaching a family member how to swim, assisting with a sports club for teenagers etc). Thinking through your whole life story, intentionally, can bring about a different view and a greater appreciation of what such experiences have given you.
One Consequence Of Being Seen and Heard
During my career (spanning a period of over 15 years), I’ve coached a number of educators new to the field and through listening to their life stories, have unearthed a good number of their skills and values, that have either been ignored or laid dormant.
I recall one of my clients being at a crossroads and unable to decide which one of the four ways to go. Through deliberate listening and coaching she revamped her written profile and went on to open a preschool within a period of three months. Who knew that there was such a powerful leader and entrepreneur behind her uncertainty? Sometimes we simply need to be seen and heard in order to stand tall in our own stories.
Maya Angelou has always said it well, particularly with this quote:
“When we know better we do better” (paraphrase)
How are you showing up professionally on paper or online? What story does your resume or CV tell?
In response to my question at the beginning of this post, I’d say yes you do have control over the quality of your written profile and this influences (for good and great) the outcome of any job hunt.
I work with individuals to review and rewrite their professional stories in the form of powerfully scripted resumes and CV’s.
I invite you to ‘do better’.
Email me to change your story: contentwwords@zohomail.com