You have heard the saying, likely, that getting a job is all about who you know. In discussion with a colleague of mine recently, I realized that I am more in agreement with that statement than I have ever been.
I was not always as sure because in my job hunting experience, the outcomes have not been attributed to just one factor. For example, I was able to be placed in a paid internship before through a cold contact who referred me to someone within the organization, where I had neither visited nor met any employees before! On the other hand, I have never had anyone say "I have a job for you" and place me in it either, with no formalities involved, which I think the 'who you know' bit can lend to.
So, how is that I have come to agree with this adage, given my varied experiences? Here’s where the light bulb came on: YOU are the product that's going to market in the world of work, and definitively knowing yourself (your aptitude, strengths, interests, core values, worth, etc.), as well as how to articulate those things properly, makes the biggest difference.
Being able to speak confidently about what you have to offer and how that meets an employers need, as well as demonstrate a track record of success (for yourself and your former employers) makes the best case for why a hiring manager needs you on their team! Not sure where to begin with learning how to know you and discuss your merits effectively? Here are few easy things you can do to jump start the process:
Take a Self-Assessment
Take a Self-Assessment
- Self-assessments can help to confirm what you like, your personality, or your preferences for reasoning and relating to others, while connecting that information to particular jobs or fields of work.
- There are several short and free instruments online that can give you a snap shot into the mentioned items, but represent larger, statistically valid and reliable assessments, at cost e.g. O*NET Interest Profiler, Jung’s Typology Test, Keirsey Temperament Sorter- II, the abridged DISC
Get Feedback from Family, Friends, and Co-Workers
- Arguably, the people you’ve grown up around or are currently closest to can offer insight into your strengths, inclinations, and communication style--all of which are important things to know how and when to share in a job interview, for instance.
- Once you've had the experience of informally collecting data on yourself, talking to a Career Counselor can help you with deepening the connections you've begun to make, more formalized assessment, exploring additional findings, or charting your next steps.
- I would love to help you navigate the process of making the best presentation you can to potential employers. Contact me today at alexandra@aacareercounsel.com.
