What schools will rarely teach is how to find and keep a job to establish a career. What they’ll teach is everything else approaching it. So those stumbling into the workforce, the monster with teeth that is working for a living, they’re completely lost in what to do.
Let alone the process of finding a job but to build a career that is satisfying and matches their aptitude. As a result, the majority of the population are unhappy with their jobs. It’s estimated that just 15% percent of the workforce admits that they’re happy at work.
This isn’t because of a lack of effort or that they’re lazy. What everyone attempts to figure out is what the best path to greater career success is.
Most are lost on how to proceed forward. It’s found that this job dissatisfaction exists because they’re approaching the process completely wrong.
Forget Everything You Know About Building A Career
Everything that we’ve been taught when it comes to building a career has become outdated. An University degree might give you a better job, but won’t necessarily give you a better career.
What’s becoming a pipe dream is full-time employment, as every position is now trending towards becoming temporary. We now live in a freelance economy where companies prefer to outsource.
Although the entire way that we work has polar shifted, most still attempt to establish a career, thinking if they can only find a job that will make them happy. This is no longer the reality.
The economy is shifting rapidly towards automation, and causalities which are affected are those entering the workforce, attempting to establish themselves in their entry level jobs. So the only solution is to reinvent yourself.
Never Think The Job Is Secure
What companies are now forced is to alter their business models and job positions quickly and on the fly. As a result, the casualties are these entry level workers.
Your new job skills might be in demand one day, but can become obsolete the next if the company finds a cheaper source. It’s not your fault, nothing personal, it’s just business. If it ever happens to you, then you need to reboot and find a new job.
Have Your “Identity” Ready
It’s no longer just a resume, but you also need a LinkedIn profile, this to established a personal brand, such as blog posts which displays your areas of expertise. A Twitter account that shares relevant industry information, etc.
What you need is to always be prepared and ready to reactivate your job search into high-gear. Always keep these career finding tools updated, otherwise you’ll be wasting weeks building one.
Target Companies You Want To Work For
There are two approaches to finding a job. Some will just constantly scour the job boards in the attempts to find work which is similar to what they want.
Others will make a bucket list of companies they want to work for, which fits their aptitude, and wait for job opening opportunities.
Guess which of the two lands the job that they’re suited for and will be happy at. The method is to build a list of potential employers and begin networking with their employees. This way, you can choose who you work for.
Know What You’re Good At
Multitasking doesn’t exist and no one needs to be a superhero at work. What you need to know are your particular strengths that you’re good at, where you can contribute the most.
What most have are two or three workplace strengths that they excel at. You need to find and know what yours are.
The reason why employers hired and pay you, hinges on how much money you’re able to save or make the company, this so they can keep you around and afford your salary.
You Fail To Network
What networking does is adds to your net worth. Establishing professional contacts are absolutely critical to finding the job opportunities you’re suited for.
The best way to build a strong network is to serve it. So understand how to help those who you’re connected with becomes vital. What people remember is when you helped them, and they want to return the favor.
This social currency exchange comes in handy as one day, you’ll need their help. By building respect and trust within your network, you’ll then tap into their knowledge base.
Waiting until you become desperate and need the help of your network to find a job, isn’t what you want to do.
Never Chase, Make Them Chase You
If you’re wanting a better career, then don’t act like a victim, a helpless employee who’s held hostage by the greedy hands of the big ruthless corporation.
Instead, learn to take complete ownership of your career, and establish yourself as a “brand,” who’s wanting to work with or partner with potential employers to serve them.
Building a win-win situation between you and your employer is your responsibility, not theirs. What you’re doing is providing a service to the organization.
So you need to establish yourself as being in demand, so they can then justify hiring you. Realizing this is when you’ll get the professional respect you deserve. You’re then in control of your career destiny.
Becoming Proactive
Don’t allow all the outdated approaches of finding that ideal job set you back, as you need a plan of attack to focus on the position and the company you want to work for, which suits your strengths.
So do the research to close the knowledge gap, this so you can get the upper hand. It’s ultimately up to you to take action, as no one’s going to hand you that dream job and salary on a silver platter.