Out-of-the-box job search ideas can work wonders in a competitive job market. But if you struggle to come up with a creative, yet still professional idea that hasn’t been overdone, you might end up sticking with the old-fashioned resume and cover letter in order to land your next job.
The good news? There’s something else you can be using in your job search to land your ideal position: a one-page job proposal.
What is a one-page proposal?
Similar to a business proposal, a one-page job proposal sums up why the employer should hire you. You need to find out a company’s pain points and determine how you can solve them. In the proposal, make reference to your skills, qualifications, education and past accomplishments—and tell them how having these on board will benefit the organization. Your proposal should be highly targeted, well researched and compelling.
What to include
Patrick G. Riley, author of The One Page Proposal, says this type of proposal works because it “follows a logical and organic progression of thought and argument.” Here the eight pieces of a one-page job proposal:
- Title and Subtitle label and define the entire proposal.
- Target and Secondary Target sections identify the goals of the proposal.
- Rationale section lays out the basic reasons why the action is necessary.
- Financial section puts dollars and cents to the deal.
- Status states how things stand at the moment.
- Action makes clear exactly what the proposer wants the recipient to do.
This isn’t an easy task—which is why many job seekers do not write one-page job proposals. Luckily, there are online tools available to help you create this document, such as 1-Page Job Proposal.
The 1-Page Job Proposal website assists you in creating a compelling and concise job proposal, by taking your ideas, goals, and values and helping you compress them into a short proposal. It guides you through the research process, shows you how to deliver your proposal, and gives you all of the tools you need to write a job proposal.
Would you consider drafting a one-page proposal for a job opportunity? Have you before?
Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder & president of Come Recommended, a content marketing consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and employers. She is also the author of “Lies, Damned Lies & Internships” (2011) and “#ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle” (2010) and writes career and recruiting advice for numerous outlets.
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