I put up with too many things that no employee should have to put up with...
And as a result, I wound up disengaged, unhappy, and resentful.
Now, those feelings were completely justified, yet the simple truth is that living like that is NOT a fun (or constructive) place to be.
Feeling sorry for myself didn't make me feel better. It didn't help my work situation. And it certainly didn't improve my career and help me grow.
Yet, as a result of some early experiences, I've since figured out (and now show others) how to find and get a meaningful job you LOVE with an inspiring company that appreciates you.
See, the key to opening unlimited opportunities for yourself and escaping your crappy job is this simple truth:
You've got to position yourself as both rare and in demand. Think about the commonalities between professional athletes, celebrities, and movie stars.
They're all rare - there's only one of each of them. And they're all in demand - they provide a unique skill set that no one else can.
You can position yourself this way too so that you have your pick of amazing job opportunities. Here's how:
3 Unusually Effective Ways To Find And Get A Job You Love
Tip #1: Seek Out Companies That Inspire You
Naturally, if you're going to get a job that you love, a great place to start is to find an organization that inspires you.
So, it's time to put on your research hat and have some fun… starting with your values.
Think about what you value most in life. Do you want to have freedom and flexibility in your work… so much so that you can work from a beach on flexi-hours?
Or maybe you want to be able to walk to your office and spend time with quality people you cherish?
Perhaps there's a certain problem in the world that's always bugged you, and a couple of companies are doing an excellent job of solving that problem.
Whatever it is that's most important to YOU, find a company whose values match your own, and then find a way to get their attention and get the job (which I'll show you how to do in a second).
To start with, you can check out this resource guide with 14 top-of-the-line websites containing thousands of exciting opportunities with inspiring, “For-Benefit" companies (which means they focus on making a profit AND a difference in the world.)
Tip #2: Create An “Ultimate Resume"
Here's the thing: Only 1% of traditional resumes actually lead to a job offer.
And if you're applying for one of the “For-Benefit" companies listed in the resource guide above, it'll likely be even lower.
See, just like you want to find a company that fits your lifestyle…
The best companies to work for want to hire people who fit their values, believe in their mission, and WANT to work with them.
The good news?
It's actually quite easy to get their attention and get the job… if you know what to do.
That's why I put together a brief resource guide sharing 7 Online Tools That Trump Your Traditional Resume.
It'll help you use easy, cheap, and reliable tools to position yourself as rare and in demand so you can get the job you WANT.
Tip #3: Use Modern Job Seeking Strategies
The world is changing, and standing out from the ever-increasing competition is a challenge (if you don't know what to do).
Because the truth is, people are bored of the same old job seeking approaches. They want fresh, real, and authentic job applications from people who genuinely care about what they're doing.
So rather than submit 100 copies of the same resume to 100 companies you don't care about…
Find the two or three that you would do ANYTHING to work for. And then go above and beyond to get their attention - while focusing on showcasing what makes you valuable to them.
I've seen people put together amazing YouTube cover letters, send amazing packages - Fedexed to the HR manager, and even heard of someone sending a hot air balloon to Richard Branson with a proposal inside.
By using some courage, creativity, and passion, you're positioning yourself as both rare and in demand (because you can bet that no one else will think to do this!)
If you want more ideas, there's a free video here with three great modern job seeking tips (as well as a funny story about how I got my dream job years ago).
Enjoy!
Ryan Niessen is a keynote speaker and co-creator of The Gateway Method: a simple, proven way to gain inside access to the world's best employers and get your dream job. Connect with him on LinkedIn or Facebook. Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert.
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.