by Jennifer Liu
The rules for finding a new job during the coronavirus pandemic are vastly different than they were a year ago, when opportunities outnumbered job seekers and going through an entirely virtual hiring process was far from the norm.
But if a new job is on your priority list in 2021, career coaches offer their best tips for narrowing your focus, making the right connections, and mastering your interview. Here is how to adjust your plan to find work in the recovering job market.
Forget what you know about finding a new job
The best thing a job seeker can do is look at the new ways of networking, applying and interviewing as opportunities, not obstacles, says Akhila Satish, CEO of leadership training program Meseekna.
“The world has changed, and all the paradigms we thought we knew about the hiring process have been thrown up in the air,” she tells CNBC Make It. “Instead of letting it overwhelm you, use it to your advantage.”
For example, as more companies support remote work and find talent from nontraditional backgrounds, you may be able to apply for positions you could not before because of location or education.
Sarah Sheehan, co-founder of career coaching app Bravely, advises women and people from marginalized backgrounds not to underestimate their qualifications or career progression. Research has shown that women are less likely to apply for jobs if they do not feel 100% qualified for the role, while men are more likely to go for the role even if they feel they are not fully qualified. As a former recruiter, Sheehan recalls, “Often the most successful people you hire are the ones who did not do exactly what you hired them to do.
“Often the skills are transferable and may be a better fit for the job than someone who did the job directly,” Sheehan adds.
Formulate a story around your accomplishments that relate to the job you are looking for, Sheehan adds. Create several different versions of a resume for different industries or jobs you are applying to, with each version highlighting the skills you have acquired in your past work and how they match up with what you’ll bring to the new job.
Reverse engineer your job search
When you have some time to think about where you want to take your career next, start by making a list of companies you’d like to work for instead of looking for new opportunities based on the job title.
Consider: whose work in your field do you admire? Which employers are known for being a good place to grow in your career? Then, according to Randstad RiseSmart career coach Wendy Braitman, connect with the people at the company. Look on LinkedIn to see if you have any common contacts within the company, if recruiters are available to answer informational questions, or if former colleagues who work at the company can make an introduction on your behalf.
Your goal should be to build relationships within the company and understand why people like working there, Braitman says, even if there may not be an opening at the moment. By building that relationship, you may be able to get on a hiring manager’s or recruiter’s radar when an opportunity arises. In any case, Braitman says, new jobs are often passed around internally for referrals before they are posted publicly, so an insider connection can get you in the running much faster.
Another tip, she adds, is to set weekly networking goals that are firmly in your control, such as reaching out to two new people each week. As someone who used to work in the entertainment industry, Braitman says, “I am a firm believer that it’s not just who you know, but who you can know. Then build that network one person at a time.”
Do not be desperate – and use this instead
Jackie Mitchell, founder of Jackie Mitchell Career Consulting, is more blunt in her job search advice: “You can not be desperate for what you want,” she advises job seekers. “Hiring managers can smell it a mile away, and that puts you at a disadvantage,” such as offering too little.
Instead, Mitchell advises turning the process on its head and empowering yourself as a candidate: “Position yourself as a problem solver and solution provider, not a job seeker.”
The distinction is subtle but effective, Mitchell says. A job seeker goes into an interview to fill an open position, she explains, whereas a solution provider goes on a fact-finding mission to find out how his or her skills match the problem the employer is trying to solve. What’s the main goal of the job? What new ideas can you bring to the table to improve the task itself? And most importantly, how can you solve the employer’s biggest challenge? Hiring the right person in a timely and cost-effective manner?
“It’s a different dynamic. The interview, if you are coming from a problem-solving standpoint, is more of a conversation,” Mitchell says.
Even if the role is outside your usual wheelhouse, focus on the tasks of the job that you find most purposeful, says Alexi Robichaux, CEO and co-founder of the professional coaching platform BetterUp.
“Managers are looking for people whose personal mission aligns with the company mission,” he says. In today’s labor market, that could be as simple as seeing a service job as a means to provide personal connection and compassion to customers. Speaking to these values, especially if they align with the employer’s mission, can “tip the scales” in your favor in a sea of qualified candidates, Robichaux adds.