I’m looking for my next job – what advice have you got?

From time to time I find many of my clients encountering some version of the same challenge. And in the last month I have worked with multiple clients and talked to many others involved in a job search. This piece focuses on one step in the process that seems to be underutilized within my community.

Leveraging your advocates

I find that the potential role of advocates and supporters can be missed – those people you have worked with and for who have really valued your work, and in the past, have probably helped you find new roles. They possess invaluable information about you and your best role, how to represent yourself and potentially, the best places for you to work. Figure out who is on your list, and get started by asking these questions:

  • Where are they now? And if you are not connected to them right now, takes steps to remedy that.
  • What would they say if asked to describe you and what you’ve done at your best? It helps to have examples.
  • What can they tell you about the best type of culture for you to be successful in?
  • How can you leverage them to support your job search?

While you may have some of this information, this should provide you with a deeper understanding that you can use to focus your job search. The specifics of what you once did may not appear relevant to the current job market – in that case, look for the skills, the knowledge and the attitude that you showed.

For some people the current role may not be the best place to find advocates, especially if you are leaving your current job, or feel the need to move on. You want the people that were there when you were energized and fully engaged in the work you were doing.

If you know someone who needs help bringing their best to a job search, please share. paulgaskell@onnupcoaching.com @pgaskell3

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