I was sitting watching TV tonight, relaxing after a hard day at the office and waiting for my dinner to be brought to me, when is struck me.
How do you learn to ski jump? Who first thought of sliding down a 120 - 130 foot hill and land some 476 feet away still (hopefully) intact? And how do you practice?
Fortunately job hunting is much easier and less dangerous. Albeit it can be just as nerve racking with a much softer landing normally.
These guys that do the ski-jump plan meticulously for the few seconds that they skid down the slope and throw themselves into the air. Their tools are the best. They have to be ready for the unexpected. There might be a gust of wind. The skis might go wider than anticipated. Landing might not go as predicted (think of the last time you were in a plane and think of how you felt when the wheels touch ground).
Your job search has to follow the same rigorous criteria. Plan, plan and plan again in all the areas of your job search and be meticulous. It's spring time so revisit your CV. Does it really showcase you? Have you added your latest achievements? Have you included as much relevant information in there that will get you an interview?
And the simple things - make sure your CV has the correct and up to date contact details. The other week I was trying to contact somebody and they had an old mobile on their CV. Not surprising they never got any invites to interview!!!
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You need to give yourself your best CV so that you can get interviews. Check out www.abespokecv.co.uk for detail on how we can help.
Of course, when you are job seeking you need to use the widest possible search activity. Don't restrict yourself to one job board, or one contact, or the local press. And use Linked In to do your company research.
Got the interview in the bag? Prepare what your answers will be to the main questions that will be fired at you. Why have you applied for this role? What do you know about the company? Give real life examples of your competences against the job description. One tip is to use evidence from your most recent role(s) and not from ten years ago!!! Think about what you bring to the company what they need - the fact that you are at interview suggests they believe you might be able to do the job. You need to convince them!!!
And ask relevant questions of your interviewer. You also need to be convinced that this company is where you want to develop your career. It's never an easy decision to leave a job so you have to be sure that the new organisation is the right move.
So like the Ski Jumper, your final destination can be successfully achieved. It can be a tortuous journey to a new job but by planning and dedication you can get there. Good luck and call www.abespokecv.co.uk if you need help, support or advice. Get your Gold Medal - your new job today.
(C) Iain Williamson 2014
