This is a sponsored post.
When the pressure is on to get to work as soon as you have your degree, it can be difficult to stay focused on long-term goals. With today's bills to pay, tomorrow's plans can take a back-seat. The tough job market doesn't help – even though having a degree improves your chances of entering your chosen field.
The same is true for non-traditional students who go back to education after years in the workplace. If you went to college to change career paths or find greater professional satisfaction, don't throw away the opportunities you've earned for yourself. With a degree under your belt, you've acquired the necessary qualifications. Now it's time to take the next step in achieving your goals by finding a home for your talent. The following tips should give you a start.
1. Understand talent
When we think of talent, we often think of famous actors or sports stars. But for most of us, talent is less obvious. In addition to the knowledge and qualifications gained at college, we also have skills, interests and values. So when it comes to achieving your goals, it's worth remembering that talent isn't about being the best in the world at something. Instead, it is that personal combination of strengths, weaknesses, and potential. People with successful and happy careers usually work in organizations that accommodate, nurture, and value those talents.
2. Recognize yourself
Talent is not just what you are good at, it's also where you will likely thrive. For some people it is clear-cut. For others, it takes a little more work. Self-assessment and honesty are essential. No two people are the same and what suits someone else isn't necessarily right for you. For example, are you energized by others, or do you need quiet space to do your best work? Do you prefer the fluid exchange of creative ideas, or a more structured work environment? Or maybe actually find it stimulating to work with creative types, but need more a more process-driven role in which to do your best work? The more you understand, the greater your chances of finding a role where you can develop.
3. Hunt for clues
There are no real short-cuts to finding out what your talents are, but there is plenty of evidence. What motivated and stimulated you most during your study program? If you preferred exams to project work, what does that tell you? Look to your personal life. Do you prefer team sports or solo endeavors? Do you want to win, or is taking part more important? Ask honest friends, relatives, or colleagues. They may point out characteristics you take for granted. Your college may also have career-testing programs available that assess your natural talents. All of these clues tell you something about who you are, what you need from work, and what you can offer.
4. Match your values
When you have an idea of what motivates you, find out what motivates a potential employer. Do your values really match up? Look beyond the company Web site and corporate Twitter account. If you can, talk to people who work there. Use your existing professional networks – you may be surprised about the extent of your connections. Do your professors have industry connections or alumni you could talk to? If you can, go the extra mile and speak with customers and partners to get a more accurate picture of the company ethos. If you can find an organization that offers a work environment and corporate culture you personally find productive, you are more likely to succeed.
5. Observe and question
Remember, an interview should be a two-way process you can use to get more information about an organization. Are people welcoming and considerate to you? Are they professional with colleagues? What do the dress code, office layout or even noise levels tell you? In the interview itself, find out how you would contribute to the mission and vision of the organization. What exactly would you be expected to do every day? Does it match the job description, and is it what you want to do? Ask for examples of how values are put into daily practice. If possible, ask to meet the last hire before you. This kind of information will help you position yourself for success and start progressing towards you goals from your first day on the job.
6. Be realistic
No job is perfect, and no job will give you everything you want. Education opens doors and gives you more choices than before. But there will be compromises, too. If your dream is to be a TV anchor, you should still be prepared to do your time as a studio runner, for example. Accept that there will be sacrifices to be made, but keep your personal big picture in mind so those sacrifices don't ultimately destroy your sense of satisfaction. Above all, remember that achieving your goals is a journey and that education is just the start. Going back to college was the first step to greater career satisfaction. Finding a home for your talent is the next.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. It was submitted and approved by our editorial staff to ensure it meets CAREEREALISM Media's editorial standards. View our full disclosure policy here.
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.