How to land your ideal job fast

Unemployment is holding steady, but in spite of this, it seems to take longer to secure a job and the Australian job market is still really competitive.  In such a market, it is very easy to get discouraged, as it seems to be taking such a long time to secure a new job, let alone securing a dream job.

However, there are still jobs to be found, employers are STILL recruiting and people are still landing jobs on a daily basis.

So what is the secret to landing a job fast?

Well, there is no secret.  Jobseekers securing jobs in a competitive environment, are simply managing to sell themselves effectively to employers.  So how do you sell yourself effectively in this current environment?

Well, the answer is that you communicate your potential worth, by focussing on your ability to deliver RESULTS to employers?  In order to communicate your potential worth, you need to use the same strategies that companies use to market themselves namely positioning, packaging, promotion, persuasion, and performance.

By using these same marketing strategies, you will easily distinguish yourself from hundreds of other jobseekers and land a job fast.

Positioning

Most job seekers focus on duties and responsibilities of the positions they have held and reflect these when packaging themselves (resume and interview).  However, the problem with such an approach is that most employers’ are not that interested in hearing about what you were supposed to do on the job, they are interested in how you can add value to their company, save money, or alleviate a specific problem.

In order to position and distinguish yourself from other job seekers, you need to focus on the needs of the company and what you accomplished for past employers.

Do you work faster?  Have you solved specific problems for past employers? Did you improve processes?  The point is that you need to tell potential employers about what you have accomplished for other employers, which in turn sets the stage as to why you can solve their specific needs or add value to their organisation.

Packaging

Since most job seekers have lacklustre resumes, cover letters and selection criteria, it is easy to distinguish yourself from the masses.  When packaging yourself, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I have a professionally designed resume that provides appropriate information that highlights the skills, values and benefits that I offer to an employer? HINT:  If you are using generic resume word templates from major job-boards, or you have long list of duties and responsibilities outlined under each job heading, you need to re-write your resume.
2. Does my resume specifically address the employer’s problems, issues and challenges?
3. Do I look the part of a consummate professional?

Promotion

Are you effectively promoting yourself in this tough marketplace?

If you want to land a job fast, you need to not only engage in regular job hunting activities, such as visiting online job boards, but you need to have a job networking strategy in place.

Companies make a point of staying as visible as possible.  As a jobseeker you also need to stay visible by building effective relationships and actively engaging in networking.  As a professional, you could also do some personal PR, by developing a web presence, through sites such as Twitter, or increase your profile, through trade journals and professional associations.

Persuasion

In order to effectively persuade an employer that you are the best person for the job, you need to understand their precise needs and present yourself in a way that promotes the benefits that you bring to an organisation.

It is no use just turning up at the interview, if you don’t have any understanding of the employer’s specific requirements.  So you need to research the company before you go to interview.

At the interview, your primary objective is to persuade the employer that you are the best person for the job.  The key skills you will need are the ability to build rapport and successfully communicating to the employer, how you can meet their objectives, solve their problems and enhance their organisations.  To communicate this, you need to present yourself in a benefit-orientated way.

Most employers are seeking employees who have the proven ability to solve a problem, to assist them to make money, or save money, or increase efficiency.  The point is, by communicating to employers, how you have delivered results in the past, you will easily set yourself apart from competition and will be able to persuade employers that you are the best person for the job.

Performance

For jobseekers, you need to perform throughout the job-search process.

1. Are you communicating successfully on paper (resume, selection criteria, cover letters), email phone and in person?
2. Do you keep all promises, such as interview appointments?
3. Do you go the extra mile and exceed employer expectations, such as sending a thank-you note after the interview, or taking a comprehensive portfolio to the interview?

Summary

To land a job fast, you need to distinguish yourself from the masses.  By using the same tactics that companies use to market them selves, (positioning, packaging, promotion, persuasion and performance), you will be able to successfully implement a job search plan, that will secure a new job fast!