Looking to Careers beyond Consulting

Looking under rocks and planting seeds

Finding the Right Focus for Job Hunting

Looking for a new job is much of an art as it is a science. One way to build flexibility into your plan is balance the focus for whatever stage you are at for your job search:

• Remain open to new opportunities
• Look for Unique Opportunities Suited for you

The shifting balance is difficult to find. At the beginning stages of the job search, people rarely know exactly what his/her perfect job description might look like. That’s okay: it’s fine to be open to new opportunities. It still means that you should be able to have direction, know your key strengths, and articulate the value that you bring to the organization. The key here is that you are not overly narrowing your search and possibly passing up reasonable careers that will offer growth and learning opportunities.

As candidates continue their job search, they typically gain a clearer picture of what their key strengths are and how to obtain those coveted informational interviews at the targeted organization. This can be a lengthy process, but it can also yield valuable insight as to whether you would be a good fit. In this stage, especially in a contracting climate, it calls for candidates to be creative and resourceful. For example, what projects could you obtain to strengthen your portfolio (even if it is not a paid project)? Gaining new contacts, deepening your skillsets, opening doors to new industry contacts, and creating those opportunities for yourself are valuable steps along the job search path.

Start Early and Gain Momentum

Without a doubt, the hardest part of the job search is getting started. Getting started with the resume can feel like a daunting task, and the thought of "networking" feels like a 2-ton weight, especially after a full-days worth of work. However, we also know that the best way to counter an enormous task is to break things down into smaller pieces and to start moving.

It can start with scheduling a lunch with a former colleague to reconnect and to exchange information on industry trends and/or job opportunities. The big message here is just to start somewhere.

Undoubtedly the rest of the activities will eventually need to be tackled (like the resume and the interview preparation). In my experience, those things are easier to get motivated once I have a little bit of tailwind after meeting with a former colleague or mentor. Gaining glimmers of opportunities will your beacon to pull you forward.