Cast a Wider Net

Cast a Wider Net

 

It’s been said, “There does seem to be a way to speed up the process of looking for a job …

Broadening your perspective may be the fastest way to a new position.”

Are you interested in casting a wider net?   Here are some ideas and action steps for your consideration:

Transfer skills to a new industry.  We’ve encouraged you to identify your success profile/attributes (your talents, personality traits and achievements) and to use them in your documents and interviews.  Consider your key qualifications and the skills and abilities which are transferrable:  start with communications and its many facets:  written, verbal, non-verbal; then look at problem-solving, which has been described as the `most important’ skill that employers are seeking [this is a reminder that solution-bringers are more attractive to employers than are problem-bringers].  Other important, desired traits sought by most hiring managers include:  dependability, ability to get along with people, and a positive, cooperative nature.  You can leverage these and other skills and traits with your personal examples and brief stories.

Transition to a new job function within your industry.  Whether your background is technical, mechanical, administrative, sales, service, or financial … there are other options.  Most fields are broad with many aspects such as sales (from retail to consultative and high tech to low tech).  Engineers, for instance, are schooled in particular disciplines and with advanced learning and experiences find themselves specializing or branching into other disciplines such as mechanical and chemical to electric,  electronic, and process management.  They also may find themselves being sought for positions in `other departments/worlds’ such as finance or human resources or business development.  Stepping `off the path/highway’ onto another one can be both challenging and difficult; it can also be rewarding and fulfilling.

Expand your networking and add to your network.  This is fundamentally the most effective way to find that new position/job. In our work with clients, we find that expanding personal networks is something often difficult and challenging.  It is more than attending a `networking function’ and exchanging business cards.   It is about connecting!  We welcome your questions about `networking’ and trust that with discussion and dialogue and practice, you will benefit just like a client, who said recently, “It works … got me back to work!”

Remember, to look up and out.  Consider alternative job and career possibilities, make new contacts, and try different approaches (on the phone, in-person, and in your research and planning).  Most importantly, maintain your positive attitude and your persistence and focus on finding the `open door’ or `window’.

 

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