Employers are hiring! So why aren’t the church bells tolling? Why isn’t the media picking up this good news? Because it is barely making a dent on the unemployment numbers. But it should be good news for all job seekers. Many companies are feeling more optimistic about the future OR they can no longer afford to stay in a steady state.
So what kinds of jobs are companies filling? They are filling jobs that will help them grow…sales, marketing, development, project management, developers. Growth jobs, not steady state jobs.
Companies are seeking the best of the best- innovators, A Players, Rock Stars of their occupation. I guess that is the bad news for some. We can’t all be the best. But we all can solve problems and that is what companies are looking for, problem solvers.
How do you position yourself as a problem solver? It is called “marketing your brand“. A term which means knowing what you are good at and strategically promoting that focused message. (You can learn more by reading Personal Branding 101) Ask yourself these questions:
1: What function of your last job or previous job did you excel in?
2: How did this translate into solving problems for your previous employers?
3: Is it still valued by other companies in your occupational field today?
4: How will I implement the 4 P’s of Marketing
Hopefully, this helps you understand that you need to alter your message from “this is what I do” to “these are the types of problems I’ve solved”.
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
