Get That Job: Mindset Beyond the Ad
by Kate Nasser | 1 Comment »
You see an ad for that job you want. It lists many skill sets. How do you apply for and get that job when you have some but not ALL of the skill sets listed? You must have a mindset beyond the job ad.
Mindset Beyond the Job Ad
One of my clients was an accountant. There were no accounting jobs available. She saw a job ad for writing grants at a university. The job ad said grant writing experience needed. She had none. She sketched a clear picture of how her accounting experience made her perfect for the job — beyond the apparent money connection. She got the job.
Go beyond your list of technical skills and accomplishments. Sketch a true picture of yourself.
Use this list to honestly assess your strengths. It will help you to apply for that job, interview for that job, get that job, and do that job!
Get That Job - Mindset Beyond the Ad Image by:http://CourtneyCarmody.com
- Are you the inventive creative type when given freedom? Can you also do it when under constraints?
- Are you great at seeing the bigger picture beyond individual tasks?
- Or are you truly better at digging in to the deep details?
- Are you great at initiating change or better at contributing once it starts? Honest assessment of your mindset will guide you to jobs with a natural fit.
- If you have great expertise in your technical area, are you also good at explaining/teaching it to others?
- Do you have experience in quickly rotating on/off critical project teams?
- Or do you have a special knack for building long term relationships within a team?
- Do you learn very quickly?
- Or is your talent persistence in figuring out confusing details and explaining clearly to others?
- What about work excites you? When you dream about happiness at work, what is that picture? This is a critical question. Your mindset comes across in written and verbal communication.
- What gives you satisfaction: working with customers, vendors, teammates, or high level executives?
- Or do you shine at working behind the scenes to build processes and systems that make keep the organization moving forward?
- Do you have experience with different cultures — in your personal life? Note all the specific ways this would be valuable to the organization. With this mindset, you will start looking at job ads that tap this talent!
- How well do you give presentations in your area of expertise? Both introverts and extroverts can be great presenters. Businesses get two for the price of one when they hire someone that can do the work and present it to others!
- What few words would your closest friends use to describe your strongest traits? This objectivity is priceless to help you get that job.
Now sketch a picture of yourself with words. Be concise, punchy, and include the benefits to your potential employer using key words from the job ad. If writing is not your strength, get help from someone who writes well. Even accomplished writers have editors.
Not only will you have a better chance to get that job; you will have a better chance to get a job that fits your natural talents and interests.
What other questions help sketch a clearer picture of yourself in order to get that job? Do you want my coaching experience to help sketch your picture? Just let me know!
©2011 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. For permission to re-post or republish, please email info@katenasser.com. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.
Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach, inspires change and action through creativity and practicality. Her workshops, keynotes, dvds, and coaching sessions engage all with inspiration to action. Kate turns your interaction obstacles into professional success. See this site for more information.
These questions are great to ask yourself in your present job too. Does the evidence of your current performance back up what you’d answer? Are you better at understanding the big picture (#2) or digging the details (#3 & #9)? Have you actually brought up those around you (#5, #7 and #11)? Sometimes I think we see posts about the job search process and we don’t apply them to the career development process. This is a wonderful list of questions. Thanks.