Millions of professionals and executives are looking for new employment in today’s job market. Are you one of them?
The market is white hot for job seekers right now. Patti Boyle, an elite executive coach, says that the disruptions caused by the pandemic have changed the work environment forever.
Companies are realizing that the leaders they need are those who are able to manage change and uncertainty. And most are looking to hire as soon as possible.
Patti, who’s also the Amazon best-selling author of Transform your Job Search: Turning Fear into Opportunity, says that a lot of people are hesitant to go to work because of fear. Others have had a taste of remote work and refuse to settle for anything less. This disrupts a lot of businesses who are seeing massive resignations from top to bottom.
While millions of professionals are looking for new opportunities, some of you may be hesitant to put yourselves back on the market.
You might have a stronger sense of loyalty to your current employer or consider your workplace a safe haven since the pandemic hit. Or maybe you just prefer to stay where you are because it’s comfortable – for peace of mind, for your family, among other reasons.
In this article from Forbes, leadership coach Jack Zenger says that work is an essential dimension in most people’s lives. When work loses its meaning, purpose, and excitement, life itself is in danger of losing those elements as well.
But since work is where we spend most of our waking hours, we have to make sure that we are contributing to make a small part of the world better and that what we do matters.
Here’s Patti’s action plan on finding meaningful employment:
Know Your Why
As the hero of your story, you must know yourself. It’s good to know your strengths and your greatest qualities as well as your weaknesses, but what makes you unique?
If meaning is what you are after, ask yourself what you’re looking to do. You also need to make sure your mission and values are aligned with your prospective employer’s.
When you’ve got your “why” figured out, you’ll be able identify the kind of work environment that’s perfectly suited to your needs. If you’re not sure about your “why,” now is a great time to figure it out.
Be Prepared
With 80% of jobs being filled through word of mouth, it’s no wonder why finding your dream job can be such a challenge.
The remaining 20% of jobs hit the recruitment market and these are the jobs candidates fight for. You have to do your research and network your way into the other 80% of jobs filled by word of mouth.
Talk to your friends in the industry and investigate who holds the key to jobs that are not advertised. But you should also apply for jobs being advertised so you’ll ultimately have more opportunities.
Plan and Execute
Be willing to do the work it takes to get to the finish line. When you’ve identified the key people for a job you want, try to set an appointment with them, even if it’s just for 20 minutes.
It should be easier now with the virtual tools we have for remote meetings. Your 20 minutes with that person might lead to a job interview or it might lead to a recommendation.
If not, then you’ve just made your network wider. Stick with the plan and keep making those connections and creating those opportunities for yourself.
Companies are adapting to these changes at break-neck speeds, even allowing for remote work in the C-suite in some cases.
Compensation packages have become increasingly competitive and most organizations are now scrambling to make their company cultures stand out. There’s a lot of opportunity out there right now, so if you’re looking to make a career change, there’s never been a better time than now.
Discover more career and leadership inspiration by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
