The job market is erratic. The economy is in fluctuation. The question of office versus remote work is in debate. Some functions are in decline. Your current situation may be uncertain. What do I do now?
This is the question that many professionals are asking. Here are some guidelines to consider to establish a solid foundation from which to move forward.
- SET YOUR GOALS – Identify your long and short-term goals. A long-term goal is the ultimate job you aspire to at the end of your career. A short-term goal is one that you need to attain within a year or two. If you don’t have a destination, you can’t create a roadmap! Your goals should be realistic, reachable and achievable within the time frame available.
- SET YOUR PRIORITIES – Answer fundamental questions like, “What are the achievable steps you need to reach over these next few months?” “What are your top priorities for the next 6 months to jump start your short-term goal?” “What are the weaknesses in your experiences, background or skill sets that need to be fortified?” Now is the time to augment your current competencies in order to be prepared for the opportunities to come.
- DEFINE YOUR OKR’s – An OKR is short for Objectives and Key Results, originated by Andy Grove of Intel fame. It’s a way to develop a strategy to define (Objectives) and achieve (Key Results) that are required for your next career step. The essential elements that hiring managers are looking for are: What did you do? How did you do it? What were the results? Connect your past achievements/results to the needs of a hiring manager to fill the job that is open and requires someone like you. For example, if the next job in your career plan requires a certification and you don’t have it, the chance of you being a finalist candidate is nil.
- MATCH YOUR RESULTS TO AN OPEN JOB – Track your results, then match them to the job you want. Hiring managers want to see experiences/results on your resume and during an interview that matches and parallels the job specs/requirements of the open position. If your goals, priorities, OKR’s and results match the requirements of an open position, your chance of being a finalist candidate is very high. Tracking results from past jobs show your value to a hiring manager.
- YOUR RESUME AND INTERVIEW – There are three answers a hiring manager needs when looking for a finalist candidate: Can they do the job? Will they easily fit into our operating culture? Will they be able to grow and excel in the future? You need to demonstrate these three elements on your resume and during an interview: What have you achieved that are transferable to the open position? Your background, experiences and results must closely match and be conveyable to the open job.
Your future will depend on what actions you take now during this period of confusion.
For a FREE critique of your resume, send to: wkaufmann44@gmail.com