Now is a great time to look for a new job. Demand for talent is at an all time high. Couple this with bullish health technology industry growth projections, and it points to accelerating talent scarcity for companies. This reality creates a challenge for companies looking for talent but offers an opportunity for job seekers. There has never been a better season to create your job search strategy than now!
This is the third blog in our Talencio’s Complete Guide to the Job Search series. Previously we shared the importance of leveraging your skills and talent and identifying what you are looking for. In this blog, we will focus on cultivating your best job search strategy. Whether you are an executive or new professional, you will find valuable best practices to aid in your job search, evaluate your current job, or prepare for an upcoming search.
Overview
First, what is strategy? Andrew Bellay defines it as “the process of creating a set of well-aligned activities with the aim of occupying a valuable position within a competitive landscape.” Conducting a job search can be time-consuming and requires a strategy to identify how you are going to reach your ultimate goal of a new job. Your job search strategy will be very different than that of another professional. It is uniquely your strategy.
Your job search will be a process and you will define a clear set of aligned activities to reach your goal. You are looking for that ideal job, or as Andrew Bellay defines it, “a valuable position”. Even though we are in an employee’s market, there remains competition when seeking the ideal job.
First, put your career in context. We are all one-person companies. In other words, our employer is our client, we deliver a service to our client and we get paid for the service we provide. So as a company of one, there are many factors to consider in cultivating your best job search strategy: financial, marketing, research, sales, service delivery, etc. This blog focuses on the financial and marketing aspects of your search.
Financial
Take an inventory of your finances. Your unique situation will drive what you do, how you do it and the time frame. Create a plan, especially if you are in transition, to ensure your finances align with your expectations for how long it may take to land a new job. Keep in mind that at the more senior levels, it takes longer to land – there are fewer jobs available. Entry-level up to middle management jobs typically do not take as long but could take several months. Ensuring that you are financially aligned for your job search will be important to your success in ultimately finding the right job.
Marketing
Next, develop a marketing plan to capture a valuable position in the market. Ensure your marketing materials consistently reflect your brand and the value you bring to an organization. In our first blog, Leverage Skills and Talent, we provide guidance on understanding your unique skills and strengths. Keep these in mind as you create or modify your LinkedIn profile, resume (refer to our article, How to Write a Resume that Wins!), personal business card and other materials. Leverage these three marketing assets to enrich your personal brand and elevate your profile.
Consider the marketing channels you will use to find a new job. This could include LinkedIn, industry or individual networking meetings, speaking engagements, business and industry publications, independent recruiting firms, Indeed.com, etc.
Then, utilize your marketing assets to amplify your exposure to potential opportunities. This includes posting original content on LinkedIn or commenting on articles that highlight areas in which you are a subject matter expert. Attend networking events where you will have the opportunity to meet others in your industry or profession and exchange business cards with everyone you meet. Connect with other professionals on LinkedIn. Explore potential speaking engagements and write articles for business and industry publications. Focus on elevating your profile and expertise.
Hold yourself accountable and develop measurable marketing tactics to execute on your strategy. Convert these tactics to weekly goals and write them down. They may include five in-person networking meetings, adding ten new LinkedIn connections, attending one event, writing an article and so on. If you are currently in transition, you will likely have a higher number of activities than someone who is currently working and looking to make a change. Measure your success.
In the next blog, we will continue with the second half of developing the best job search strategy: including selling yourself, leveraging research and delivering on your value.
Written by: Paula Norbom
Talencio has been the preferred provider of vetted, accomplished professionals to the Health Technology Community for over 11 years. To learn how other companies have partnered with Talencio, tap into our skilled professional talent pool, or learn about career opportunities, contact us at 612.703.4236 or by email.