The 2nd of our 10 tips for anyone looking to progress their career. A two-minute read about having a clear unambiguous career search objective might be all the inspiration you need!
Expanding your Skill Set – Tip 2 of 10
The job skills shortage isn’t going anywhere so here is this week’s tip that you can take to improve the probability of your career success.
Tip 2 of 10: Have a clear unambiguous career search objective.
Be clear about what the seniority and role function is that you are looking for. It’s all well and good saying I am flexible and adaptable, but that doesn’t help as people won’t be able to place you in the right role. So having a clear objective that, critically, others can understand, can make it a whole lot easier.
A career search objective is the translation of a person’s needs, wants, and desires, into a product that can then serve a number of purposes, including:
- encapsulating your goal
- answering the question, ‘So what are you looking for?’ thereby enabling others to help you more effectively
- guiding the preparation of your marketing material so that it becomes more focused and impactful
- steering your marketing activity so that you become more effective and efficient in your search
A career search objective is made up of two components:
- Part (a) Non-negotiable elements and
- Part (b) Negotiable elements
The non-negotiable elements relate to the level/seniority of the role and the role function. This part should be balanced so it not only explains what you want but also what you offer. The negotiable elements relate to title, sector, location, size of organisation, remuneration levels etc., all things that within reason you will be prepared to compromise on.
NB Of course having a clear objective does not stop you reacting to other opportunities. However, it will guide all your proactive marketing activity and networking approach.
So, closing the skills gap divide might not be as daunting as you first thought and may not require anything more than a fresh perspective and way of looking at it. It sounds simple and it is, it’s just not always easy, especially when trying to do it alone.
For practical advice on how to make the change without being overwhelmed contact us to discuss how we can help.