Three Things I Wish Everyone Knew About Today’s Job Market

Source: Ezine Articles

Truth is, everyone is looking for a job. Whether it’s your first job after campus, there is someone who’ve been fired and he/ she is looking for a new opportunity or you are employed but still, you think you can do better as far as your career growth is concerned.

Whichever category you fall under, here are things you should know about the job market.

One: You can’t outsource your job search.
Not to your friends, colleagues or a former boss. Not to a recruiter, head hunter or career services professional. Even though these well-meaning individuals may offer you encouragement and connections, the truth is that you’re going to have to “work it” by doing research, targeting the right opportunities and using your network strategically.

Then, you have to work it, yet again, during the interview and follow-up process. You’re the only one who can do this part and chances are, by this phase, your contact will have little influence over you getting hired.

Sure, friends and colleagues want to help, but they can’t land the job for you, and they expect that you’ll “run with” the contacts they connect you with or the leads they provide. And here’s a little secret: They WANT you to run with the opportunities.

Two: A job description is just a job description.
Never judge an opportunity solely by how it appears on paper. I have so many clients that discount opportunities simply because of how the job description reads. Too boring. Not the right mix of things they like to do. Their background doesn’t perfectly match the job requirements.

What I’m saying is that a job description is just a job description. It’s a written description that often defies what the job is really about. Embrace new opportunities but be willing to read between the lines.

Three: Being visible is more important than talent.
Yep. This is a hard one for me to accept too. I want to believe that in a perfect world, the most talented individual is hired, regardless of his/her visibility.

You’re not a candidate until you get noticed – and you won’t make it into the pool of candidates if people don’t know you’re out there. Sorry, but it’s true. I’ve yet to have a client who’s landed a job because someone came knocking on their front door in the middle of the afternoon to offer them an awesome opportunity.

If you’re not making yourself visible through networking, being active on social media and leveraging personal and professional contacts, your job search is going to be slow and painful. It

Today’s job market may not be one that you encountered a few years ago, but not to worry. With a few adjustments you can successfully navigate a fruitful job search. Just accept that things are different and more importantly, be willing to learn as you go. You don’t have to get it perfect.

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