Getting the job you really want

How do you secure the future that you really want. You market yourself. If you were selling a product or a service, you would create a plan to maximise every opportunity for a sale. The process of self-marketing is exactly the same but, in this case, the product is you. Your self-marketing plan will be made up of the elements detailed below

Planning. This is the key to making things happen. Planning, and working on your plan, will ensure that you achieve all the things you set out to do.

Knowing yourself. A good sales person knows his or her product so well that he or she is able to make the most of the opportunities available, handle the unexpected and secure the sale. This is what you need to do now to secure the job you really want. So, knowing yourself, both strengths and weaknesses, is vital to your future success. Part of knowing yourself is deciding what you really want to do. Being clear about this will significantly increase your chances of getting the job you want.

Presenting yourself. Your CV is your brochure. It is usually the first point of contact with a potential employer. It is a vitally important document that decides whether you are selected for interview or not.

Targeting your market. Successful sales people clearly identify their target market and carefully research potential customers. It is exactly the same with self-marketing. You need to identify the business sectors in which you would like to work, the companies or organisations that interest you, and possible methods of contact. Making contact is a vitally important part of the process. You should not rely on one method of approach. It might lead to success but it is likely to take longer than if you had employed a variety of methods, and invariably leads to less choice. Using different methods of approach increases your chances of securing the job you really want. These will include advertised vacancies, recruitment agencies, direct approaches to employers and networking with contacts.

Securing the interview. This needs to be thought about carefully. As much effort needs to go into this as designing your CV. If you are writing, your letter needs to be interesting, effective and powerful. It should clearly request an interview as well as supporting and complementing your application.

If you are telephoning, you need to prepare carefully what you want to say. Be ready to answer questions and handle different reactions.

Practice will greatly improve your confidence and performance.

The interview, or meeting with one of the contacts in your network. How you handle this will make the difference between success and failure. Planning and preparation are essential.

Feedback and follow up. You should be monitoring your performance and seeking opportunities for feedback at all times. If you do this conscientiously and consistently you will be able to improve your interview technique and greatly enhance your chances of success. It is also important to review each step and its outcome. From this you can plan your next move and never miss an opportunity. You need to be proactive rather than reactive.

Securing the offer or how to consolidate an employer’s interest in you to a point where you can negotiate a deal. Only then can you compare the offer and accompanying package with your conditions of satisfaction to decide whether or not this is the job you want to accept.

Action these steps and use the other guidance notes on our website and you will be well on your way to getting the job you want.