There has never been a better time to start a new job search than now!  Why?  The U.S. is experiencing the lowest unemployment rates in over 50 years and the gap between open jobs and new hires is steadily widening.

This is the second blog in our “Talencio’s Complete Guide to the Job Search” blog series. Whether you are an executive or new professional, you will find valuable nuggets to aid in your job search, evaluate your current job, or help to prepare for a search in upcoming years. Our first blog of the series focused on understanding your skills and innate strengths.  Knowing yourself is the first step in landing a new job.  Next, you need a clear picture of what you are looking for.  I’ve coached thousands over the past twelve years and it is surprising how difficult it can be to articulate what you want.

Think of it this way.  If you are going shopping for a new car, you likely know the color, style, gas mileage, make and budget you can afford.  You may have made a mental or written list of these important factors.  If you are targeting a BMW, you don’t spend time at the Ford dealer.  A job search is no different but perhaps much more important.  In order to develop a strategy for your search and a roadmap for how you are going to get from where you are to where you want to be, you must know what you are targeting.

Start with a sheet of paper and label it “Top 10 Must-Haves”.  Then start writing down what is important to you.  There are some major categories to consider including:

  • Salary range
  • Geography
  • Industry
  • Size of organization
  • Culture
  • Titles
  • Content of work
  • Advancement opportunities
  • Reputation of the company
  • And others

As you do this exercise, think about what you’ve enjoyed in previous positions and things that you did not enjoy.  Add these to the list.  Next, ask your friends and family for suggestions to add to your list.

You may end up with a list exceeding 10 and that is ok.  Take your list and rank the items in importance.  You may also want to weight the importance of each item.  As you review the bottom of your list, ask how important those items are.  If they lack the intensity of the items higher on your list, you may decide to eliminate them.

Throughout your job search, this list encompasses what you are targeting.  Every job posting, interview and piece of research you conduct should be measured against this list.  Place the opportunity in its own column at the top of the page.  Measure the opportunity against your must-haves.  If it doesn’t measure up, the opportunity is likely not a good fit for you.  Since this list contains your “must-haves”, beware of “falling in love” too early.  The list enables you to be objective in your search and that’s the beauty of knowing what you are looking for before you get started.

If you are a health-technology company looking to hire new talent and you want to partner with an organization that specializes exclusively in the health-technology industry, Talencio can help. Talencio is comprised of a diverse team of health technology professionals with extensive industry experience. Our unique partnership approach enables us to be your safety net whenever anticipated or unanticipated staffing needs arise. Talencio has been the preferred provider of vetted, accomplished professionals to the Health Technology Community for over 13 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.

Written by: Paula Norbom, President, Talencio, LLC

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