When it comes to looking for work, how do you best approach your job search? Now that there is some movement in the job market with over 75,000 media & entertainment jobs posted on some of the job board aggregators, do you feel there is opportunity for you or do you like many, still hope that someone will notice your resume and pick you out of the countless number of others who may be applying for the same job? Are you confident that you can stand out in the crowd or, do you wonder whether you will fade into the background, resigned to post your resume and pray for a response?
Being confident and proactive in your jobs search even as things are picking up in the market are crucial skills you must not forget. Hoping someone will notice your resume even when opportunities are abundant will not get you to the front of the line. Posting your resume and waiting for a response, from anyone, might make you feel like you are doing something proactive, but in fact you might just be going through the motions, not moving forward. Keeping yourself busy by posting your resume everywhere and hoping that someone might notice, will likely make you feel good in the moment, but will not guarantee that any job offers will be coming your way anytime soon.
Recruiters often travel the same path when they are looking for candidates. They post jobs onto every job site, free or paid, post to career sites, company intranet and through their internal referral systems hoping and yes, praying that someone will find them. Well, as a job seeker you might feel that you are in a good position-after all recruiters can come courting you. Well it’s not that simple. For every one qualified resume a recruiter may receive, there are hundreds and these days, maybe thousands of job seekers applying for the same position. Recruiters, like you, are overwhelmed with opportunities but the difference is they are paid to post and pray when you in fact are not. That does not mean for the recruiter that posting jobs will guarantee that the right candidate will show up in their inbox. So, the burden is on you to find the right ways to maneuver the system and beat your competition to the finish line.
Finding out how to get in front of the hiring manager, recruiter and decision maker is an art form these days and not an exact science. Leveraging your skills, experience, assets and network are ways you can manage your self through the front door but may not guarantee you a seat in an office. So, how do you turn the interview into a job offer? Here are just a few ways you might be creative in your approach and allow not only divine providence to help you but a little resourcefulness too:
1-Find out what it will take to get the job. Know what you are up against. Find out who your competition is and figure out what advantage you have over them and by all means, leverage that to the hilt!
2-Offer to make yourself available and be flexible. That means, offer yourself up for contract, project or interim work assignments especially if it looks like you are not going to be offered the full time gig. Keep your foot in the door without breaking your foot.
3-Make yourself invaluable. Find out about the companies competition and what you might know that they don’t. Information is power and you need to find your value and present yourself in such a way that makes you truly invaluable to our prospective employer. Be the authority without being presumptuous.
4-Be smart. If someone or something is standing in the way of you getting the job offer, think how you might turn the situation around to your benefit. Fore warned is fore armed and be strategic.
5-Be prepared. Know when you should push gently towards your goals or when it’s time to move onto a different path. Just because someone does not offer you a job right away does not mean “No” it just means,”Not now.”
Taking action in combination with a bit of prayer will lead you down the path to getting a job offer. One over the other will likely not work. Being creative, astute and being ready to move forward no matter what the odds will assure your success and maybe even the corner office!
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