It seems like it’s happening more often. One day your job was OK and the next well it just not. Somethings just not right but you can’t put your finger on it. Maybe someone got promoted over you or you heard a colleague got a raise bigger than yours. Maybe there’s rumbling of reorganizations, lay-offs or a new division was announced. It doesn’t matter what caused you to look up and see you’re unappreciated, frustrated and feeling like what you’re doing just isn’t enough to get recognized and rewarded for all your effort to do a great job.
The problem is, you want to look for another job — but in secret.
What do you do? It’s been years since you looked for a job and your resume is a bit out of date. Finding a great job has changed. Social media and applicant tracking may have made it easier for a recruiter but for job seekers it’s a real pain.
According to our HELP SQUAD workplace issues expert DENISE Cooper, CEO/Founder Remarkable Leadership Lessons: LinkedIn is your best bet for successfully conducting a secret job search. In her guest post today, DENISE recommends the following 5 things you need to do to get started:
Begin with Success in mind. Too often people don’t take the first step because they’ve been beaten down so long that they can’t imagine having a job where they feel valued. I can tell you for sure, courage is simply getting started. Let the momentum keep you going.
Schedule Let’s face it. You’re already busy and there’s always more to do than time to get it all done. Make this a project. Schedule 30 minute blocks of time 2 times a week.
Do the research. In my e-book, Rockin Your Career With LinkedIn: 10 tips to Job Search Success I stress getting someone to introduce you as the best way to get hired. I get a lot of calls from people asking me to be their mentor. I remember arranging an introduction with a hiring manager for one of my mentees. She showed up for the interview fair 45 minutes late. Didn’t apologize and used my name with the staff. When the manager met with her she didn’t know anything about the company, their products/services, the skills needed for the job open and couldn’t tell the manager why she should be hired. Google ‘main reasons people don’t get jobs at great company.’ They don’t know anything about the company other than what’s on the job posting.
Dig deep but start small. I can tell you there isn’t one person I’ve worked with that didn’t think looking for a job is stressful. One question that always knocks the wind out of them is “tell me something about yourself or why should we hire you?” We all want to be picked. But today, you’ve got to sell yourself. Dig deep to find that reason you’re different from other candidates… hint… hint… hint… It’s not your skills or the school you went to or that you’re a nice person. It’s because what you do gets the right things done.
Winning is a long game. The short game may be finding another job with a boss or company that is a better fit for you. The world is changing and if you want to remain relevant you’ve got to keep up. Learning is the only way to do that. Commit to the long game of personal growth and mastery. If you do, you’ll be a lot happier.
Stay tuned for more on ‘What Works and What Doesn’t in LOVE, LIFE and WORK.’ Use this platform as a therapeutic, self-help tool to provide YOU with HOPE in troubled times, INSPIRATION amid chaos, as well as INSIGHT and FEEL-GOOD ENERGY. Here, we tap into the bounce back power of resiliency to move beyond trauma and into better love, life and work experiences. DENISE is our resident Chief People Officer on work issues, and appears Mondays to help YOU kick off your work week on a career high.