“Drinking the Kool-Aid” – taking a wellbeing approach to your career

I’m as much a sucker for a fad as the next person – I have hygge’d my living room, Marie Kondo’d my wardrobe and wabi-sabi’d how I entertain.  I LOVE finding new ideas and rituals to enhance my surroundings and improve my wellbeing.  My trick to ensuring I don’t spiral into obsession is to extract  the concepts that work for me and incorporate them into a way of doing things that suits my life rather than force-fitting the whole doctrine to a point where it is more trouble than its worth. 

Recently I’ve been giving some thought to other ways these ideas can be used to improve or enhance my wellbeing and have been delighted to discover ways I can incorporate these philosophies into how we all think about and manage our careers.  

Often, I think people set themselves on a career path with their first job, or the course of study they undertake on leaving school, and then just head on down that road without ever pausing to stop, take a look around and consider alternative paths and detours.  A lineal pathway is the one that is, in the main, shown to us by teachers, parents and other influential figures.  While there is nothing wrong with that approach, it can be a relief to discover that it isn’t the only option. 

I remember a year into my first HR role, having studied the subject at University and deciding it was what I was going to be.  I had a sudden crisis of confidence and a feeling of panic that it might not be what I wanted to do for the next 40 years of my life.  A real ‘what have I done?’ moment.  I will be forever grateful to the colleague who let me know that I still had options.  That it’s never too late to try something new and I wasn’t locked into this career path just because I had selected it from a University course catalogue.  While I have been happy to stay in the HR field in various forms since that time, I still remember what Sarah said to me and to this today I continue to consider my options and ask myself what I want to be when I grow up. 

Given this opportunity we have to constantly re-evaluate and set our career course along the way, I thought I would take a look at how these popular approaches to life – from different corners of the globe – can be applied to our career and how we look at it now and in the future. 

Sparking joy

I so wanted to be a Kondo convert, decluttering my home and downsizing my wardrobe, using the Japanese decluttering expert, Marie Kondo’s guide to cleaning.  In a nutshell, Kondo has you consider each item in your home and ask yourself ‘does it spark joy?’ Those items that do, can stay.  Those which do not are disposed of, after you offer your gratitude to them for their service.  In theory this approach is fantastic, leaving you with a decluttered home containing only items which make you happy.  In reality, my home would be full of beautiful things which spark joy, and nothing to peel the potatoes with.  Giving up on applying this to my home, I looked to find joy in other areas of my life. 

Kondo-ing your CV is a great way to present yourself to potential employers in a way which highlights the things you have done and are proud of, aligning you to similar roles that will spark joy in your future.  For example, if you have been in accounts roles all your life and, while you are good at it, the bits of the jobs you have had that you have enjoyed the most are when you have had the opportunity to teach other people how to do things.  You can highlight in your CV the opportunities you have had to train others, look into professional development options which give you the tools to train as a bigger part of your job, and look at opportunities to mentor others in similar roles.  By highlighting your involvement in, exposure to, or passion for training, you may find you can secure roles that allow this part of you to become a bigger aspect of your career.  Look for the joy in your job to bring more joy to your life. 

Living well is the best revenge

Hygge – the Danish art of living well – is a fad I got into in a big way.  While Kondo-ing is about things, hygge is about an atmosphere and experience that makes you feel at home, safe, shielded from the world, comfortable and happy.  One of the books I read about hygge listed 10 elements of the hygge manifesto – atmosphere, presence, pleasure, equality, gratitude, harmony, comfort, truce, togetherness, and shelter.  I was very on board with getting more hygge into my life, especially in the winter months when low light, cosiness, comfort food, and togetherness are just what we need more of. 

I thought that hygge might be a bit more difficult to apply to careers but looking at the manifesto, I really could see benefits in seeking out hygge when planning or changing your job or career.  While there can be benefits to pushing yourself outside your comfort zone when you have ambitions to move forward in your career, constantly striving for the next step on the ladder can be exhausting.  Sometimes, its ok to say, I’m here and I’m happy.  I enjoy my job, I enjoy the people I work with, I am comfortable with my current level and it fits with my life.  I am present and grateful for the job that I have.  Stepping off the constant hamster wheel of having to progress can be a gift to yourself. While there are times that you want to move up, there are also times when it is better for you (and your family) to stay where you are and let your work be a comfort rather than a challenge.  Hygge your career and be at peace with where you are.  

Embracing the imperfect

The last of the fads I thought I would look at is Wabi-Sabi.  Another ideology originating in Japan, wabi-sabl is an aesthetic that embraces the perfectly imperfect.  It’s one I have only recently explored in relation to entertaining guests at home.    The concept, to me, celebrates moments usually overlooked or underappreciated and encourages noticing and relishing small and hidden gems.  It’s all about putting aside cynicism in favour of awe and delight.  Most importantly it is about letting go of what we think is required of us and replacing it with our own version of what is important.  As someone with the tendency to not be perfect, I find this concept incredibly satisfying to embrace wholeheartedly.  Instead of working myself up into a frenzy when having guests over, I now focus on making these occasions special, and opportunities for enjoyment rather than stress.  Guests will not necessarily notice the dirty windows but will appreciate the homemade bread or that have I chosen their favourite meal to share with them. 

To me, the way this applies to careers, is in learning to be comfortable in your own skin.  To present yourself to potential employers as who you are, rather than who you think they want you to be.  It’s about expressing yourself in a way that may expose your flaws but also demonstrates your strengths and what makes you special and stand out from other candidates.  It’s about being genuine and taking your whole self to work. 

Its all about me!

At the end of the day, the message I take from these philosophies is the benefit of being yourself.  It’s about identifying the things that make you happy and focussing on them.  It’s about choosing the path that fits where you are right now and being happy just to be comfortable sometimes.  And it’s about making your own decisions about what is right for you and your wellbeing, not striving for a perfect career ladder which may or may not play to your strengths or make you happy.  You might like to consider Kondo-ing, hygge-ing or wabi-sabi-ing your career yourself.  You may also like to consider what philosophies and approaches you already embrace in your life and make sure they are translating into your career too.  Whatever works for you – take the pieces that mean something to you to give your life and your career a truly bespoke treatment in order to fit who you are. 

The old adage that to love your work, means to never work a day in your life is true.  The more you enjoy your job and are comfortable doing it, the greater your sense of wellbeing will be.  While not many people bounce out of bed everyday happy to be going to another day of work, your aim should be to do something that brings you more joy than stress or angst. 

bestfit HR careers offers services to support your career and enhance your job search. For assistance determining the best approach to YOUR career, contact Anne-Marie on 022 428 1571 or email bestfithrnz@gmail.com for a free initial consultation and more information on services available.

I used the following books to learn more about the concepts mentioned in this blog:

‘the life-changing magic of tidying up’ – by Marie Kondo

‘The little book of hygge – the danish way to live well’ by Meik Wiking

‘Wabi-sabi welcome’ by Julie Pointer Adams

New Year, new you?

There can be a lot of pressure on this time of year to make changes and start afresh with the beginning of a new year.  Resolutions and detoxes are the order of the day and many people make plans and promises with little regard for whether they are possible or even desirable once the champagne is finished and the decorations packed away.  Saying that, given we do tend to have a little more time on our hands during the festive season, it can be a good time to reflect on the year gone by and look to the future and what we would like it to look like.  This often includes what we want to do with our career with lots of people taking this time to make a decision regarding work and what they want to do next. 

The end of the year can often be a milestone for people for making it through another year at work and for this reason, you can be left looking around and thinking ‘what’s next’ when the Christmas holidays roll around.  While there does tend to be fewer job vacancies and advertisements over December/January it still pays to keep an eye out as new opportunities can become available with fewer people around to apply for them.  If you are considering a change, it’s a great time to do some research and see what’s out there. 

Look before you leap

If you do decide that you would like to look for new opportunities in the new year, don’t just jump, headlong, without taking stock and making a plan for yourself.  Let your experiences from your current or previous roles guide your next step and help you decide what, where, why and how.  You can certainly use the start of the year as your stepping off point for change but let the first steps include some reflection and planning before you leap off into something new. 

Before you say bye bye to 2020…

Before you cast off the experiences of the previous year, take a look back at what they were and how you can use what you learned from them to move forward.  Look at where you were this time last year, see what personal and professional growth you have achieved over the last 12 months, and take the time to celebrate and enjoy your successes. 

After a year like 2020 has been for most people, it is more important than ever to recognise what you have achieved in the face of adversity and the moments you have enjoyed.  While Covid-19 and its impacts have created negativity for many, there have been some examples of inspiration and positivity – spending more time with family, learning new skills (sourdough anyone?!), and acquiring the ability to work, study and communicate effectively from new locations using digital platforms and technology.  Look carefully for the things you want to bring forward into the new year and how they can become part of your approach to work and life generally. 

Spend some time identifying challenges and issues faced as well.  What was the most difficult aspect of your year?  How did you overcome it?  What can you continue to do to improve your situation moving forward?  Are there any aspects of your work or personal life which you would like to improve on in 2021? 

Ready, set, plan!

Once you’ve taken stock and gathered your wishes and learnings from the previous year, use them to put in place a plan for the year ahead.  Would you like to see your career change in 2021, and if so, how?  Are you looking to take a new step in your current role or workplace?  Would you like to change the way you do your current job – move to part time or full time, change locations, work from home, work for yourself?  Or would you like to take steps towards something completely new? 

If you are planning a significant change (or changes) get your plan underway by doing some research so that you can make an informed decision about where it is you want to go and how you will get there. 

Get online – start by doing some online research into the types of roles or industries etc you are interested in and find out as much as you can about the field and what is required in order to be a part of it.  Look at jobs that match what you are looking for on job search sites such as SEEK.co.nz or more specialised sites and see where they are, what they want from candidates and whether they match your level of skill and experience.

Study – once you have completed your research you may need to look at some study options which will bring you up to speed on what is required for your chosen career move.  Study can be an expensive or time-consuming undertaking which will require a big commitment, however, may also be available via methods which a) are lower cost, b) can be undertaken online, or c) can be completed in a short period of time.  Once you understand what is required, you can weigh up what the commitment will be and how you can fit it into your plan moving forward.  Some career changes will require substantial education or training and it is important to look carefully at the options and how you can best incorporate them into your life. 

Talk to other people – when considering a change in career, talk to friends, family and other people in your network who may have insight into what you are planning to undertake.  Get professional advice from education providers or career professionals if you are planning a major change – they may have options for short-cuts or alternatives which you haven’t considered.  Don’t underestimate the value of speaking with individuals in your chosen career or who have made similar changes to their career.  You don’t have to follow their example, but their learnings and experiences may be useful to consider when making your plan. 

Once you have completed and considered your research and made a decision regarding what you want to do moving forward, set yourself a goal and plan how you will achieve it. 

1.       Start big picture – what do you want your career to look like, what are you hoping to change and how will you know when you have achieved your goal? 

2.       Break it down – work out the main steps you will need to undertake to achieve your goal and any resources you will need for each step. 

3.       Set a time frame – sketch out when you will aim to achieve each step taking into account any costs etc. 

4.       Fill in the gaps – how will you achieve each of the steps – who will you need to talk to, what applications do you need to make, what resources do you need to purchase etc. 

5.       Diarise the details – when do you plan to do each of these things in order to complete the steps? Create tasks within your diary or planner that will remind you what you need to do and when.    

6.       Review and revise – keep track of how you are going and revise timeframes etc based on progress and completion of tasks.  Celebrate milestones as you complete them before you move on to the next stage to acknowledge your success and progress. 

A new way of thinking

Even if you are not planning a major career change in the short term, a smaller change you might want to consider is introducing a career journaling practice to your routine in 2021.   Its a great way of regularly checking in with yourself on where your career is at, and where you would like it to be in the future.  A career journal can help you to capture your learnings along the way, rather than just trying to recall them at the end of the year or during an interview or performance review.  Your career journal can be as simple as notes in your diary or planner regarding key incidences as you come across them or can be a more sophisticated tool or app which captures your review of your actions and outcomes at work.  At the end of the day, it should be a system that fits into the way you do things, and which allows you to easily take a note of challenges and achievements as they happen and what you learn from them.  The benefits of creating and keeping a career journal include:

• the ability to easily recall achievements in performance discussions,

• detailed examples of your achievements and challenges to use when applying for jobs and attending interviews,

• regular opportunities for reflecting to help you grow and develop in the way you address challenges at work, and

• records of challenges you have faced and goals you have achieved when reviewing your year and planning for the future.

2021???

Whether the year ahead includes plans for major changes or not, a resolution you may like to consider for your future career planning activities is to add a career journal aspect to your work routine.  Introduce a monthly reflection point or set a goal to take stock of any high and low points you encounter throughout the year and document your learnings.  You will be surprised when you sit down at the end of the year what you have learned about yourself and how clear your future career will appear. 

bestfit HR Careers offers services to support your career and enhance your job search. For assistance with your CV, applications, interviews or if you would like to explore starting a career journal contact Anne-Marie on 022 428 1571 or email bestfithrnz@gmail.com for a free initial consultation and more information on services available.

Is our desire to classify the enemy of diversity of thought

This is the first in a series of articles exploring the nexus between our everyday approaches, choices, or way of life and the concept of balance.

We’ve all experienced it.  That unheard, unseen cerebral processing that occurs in someone’s head when meeting you for the first time – like a virtual algorithm of sorting and matching.

“Whereabouts do you live?”

“What do you like to do outside of work?”

“Are you a cat or a dog person?  I’m a dog person.”

Human beings’ need to classify can be extremely inhibiting when it comes to promoting or enhancing unbiased, diverse thinking, no matter what the context.  For instance, have you ever found yourself labelling someone as “a big shot”, “a drama queen” or a new restaurant as “a bit fancy pants”?  Think about the last two or three people you have met.  How have you stored them in your memory bank? Chances are you have classified them in one or more ways.

At the same time, this classification is often simply considered somebody forming a ‘first impression’.  But by calling it this, are we trivialising something altogether more concerning?

For early hunter-gatherers, life was complex with new challenges and pitfalls emerging all the time.  To help make sense of their world, humans developed a propensity to sort and classify information.  This meant that when faced with a choice of which berries to eat or which clan members to befriend, an individual would make decisions based on stereotypes that had been formed using small pieces of evidence, such as looks and apparent behaviours.  As with other primal emotions and thoughts, those found to be the most beneficial would become ingrained and continue to influence human behaviour to this day.

So it’s clear that our desire to classify runs deep.  However, how might this work against diversity of thought – where the focus is on realising the full potential of people by embracing each person’s unique perspective and different way of thinking?  Is there any better example of the contradiction implied between these two concepts than the expressions ‘putting someone in a box’ and ‘thinking outside the box?’  Let’s explore the box further.  What defines it?  In the first expression, the box represents a forced categorisation or pigeonholing.  In the second, it is a constraint of innovative, diverse or unconventional thinking – essentially thinking differently. 

Do we need a box?  My view is… we would stand to make a lot of progress in the way we approach many different aspects of our lives, were we to put the box in the recycling – where it belongs!

In summary, while this tendency to classify is easy to dismiss as human nature, it can start to cause problems in the workplace if it tips over into bias or discrimination in workplace practices.  One of the last things any organisation needs is its teams comprising replicas of one another, simply because their leaders were influenced (either consciously or not) by their inherent need to classify when recruiting, promoting or managing their teams.

As business professionals, advisors, coaches and mentors it is up to each of us to:

• inform our people of how this way of thinking may influence their behaviour;

• identify where this may or may not be happening;

• indicate this so that lessons can be shared widely; and

• implement solutions that work for our businesses

What initiatives do you put in place to help your organisations think outside the box?

bestfit HR offers people and culture services which discover and put into action the best human resources solutions for your business.  For an approach to match your needs contact Matt on +64 21 801 164 or email bestfitHRnz@gmail.com

To sell yourself, you have to be yourself.

Interviews can be one of the most unnatural situations we find ourselves in.  They are seen by many as a necessary evil to securing a job in most organisations.  They come in many shapes and forms but typically involve you sitting across the table (or looking through the screen) at your prospective employer and telling them why YOU are the person they are looking for.  While your objective is obviously to secure the job, you can’t be successful every time.  Therefore, it is good to arm yourself with some tools to enable you to enjoy the process and come out feeling positive – whatever the outcome.

Be prepared
The key to feeling comfortable when you walk into an interview is knowing that you have all the answers.  While this is not strictly possible, you can certainly take the time to get to know the organisation and the role beforehand.  Being familiar with the position description, expectations, and other relevant details will offer you a level of security you wouldn’t have going in cold.  Its good to focus on three things:

1. The organisation
What do you know about them?  Never go into an interview without having visited the potential employer’s website.  Get a feel for their brand, what they offer, who they are, who they employ and whether they are someone you want to work for.  While, generally speaking, the website will be geared towards customers or clients, you will often find information about the structure, the people and how they operate in the ‘who we are’, ‘about us’, ‘careers’  or similar sections.  Ask around your network and see if there is anyone you know who works for, or has worked for, the organisation.  They may be able to provide you with some insight into the culture of the organisation and sometimes the role you are applying for. While you are familiarising yourself with the company, note down some questions or comments you have about the organisation that can demonstrate your understanding and awareness and that you have done your research.  For example, you might comment on a recent piece of news in the website’s media page and ask how a particular project being talked about is progressing. 

2. The role
Wherever possible, get yourself a copy of the position description for the role which you are being interviewed for.  Often this is provided up front - sometimes you will need to request it.  If it’s not available, make sure to study the job advertisement and make contact to ask for any further details you need that are not clear from the ad.  Make yourself as familiar as possible with the job requirements.  Your understanding of the role in an interview conveys to the potential employer your interest in THIS job and that you are a serious candidate.  Having some insightful questions about the role will help to demonstrate your understanding and your consideration of how the role operates. i.e. ‘I see the position is responsible for reporting on sales – how is this currently delivered?’

3. How you see yourself in the organisation and the role
Once you have gathered your information about the organisation and the position, take some time to picture yourself should you be successful in being appointed.  How do you feel about the organisation and what it stands for, its products or services and its brand?  Does the role feel like one you could be successful in?   What aspects are you excited about?  What aspects of the role challenge you and give you opportunities for development?  Create for each role you apply for a statement answering, ‘why are you applying for this role?’  This question, in one form or another, will arise in practically every interview, and being comfortable and confident in your reasons for applying will translate to you appearing confident and comfortable in the interview.  You also want to prepare some examples from your previous experience that you feel are relevant to the role you are being interviewed for.  Practice talking about your experience to a friend or family member so that you feel natural sharing your examples and feel confident explaining why this experience will help you in this new role. 

It’s always good to make notes about each role you are applying for and keep them handy in case you are contacted by the recruiter and asked questions on the spot about your application.  It is easy, particularly when you are applying for a number of different roles at the same time, to confuse details or draw a blank on a particular job you have applied for, especially if some time passes before the recruiter contacts you.  By having notes available on each application, you are able to sound informed and interested and it confirms your enthusiasm for the role in your interactions with the recruiter.  

   
Be yourself
Often, we feel like we have to put on an act when we go to an interview.  Typically, quite formal interactions, we dress in attire and act in a way that is not entirely natural to us.  This can lead to feeling uncomfortable and the way we come across being inauthentic.  Almost everyone gets nervous before an interview and recruiters understand this.  When someone is not used to conducting interviews, they can be nervous themselves and the whole experience can be a little awkward.  Anything you can do to make the situation feel more natural to you is encouraged.  At the end of the day, an interview is a way for a potential employer to decide if YOU are right for the job.  So, it is YOU who should show up for the interview. 

While once upon a time, we would feel the need to wear a suit, tie or other formal attire to an interview, it is more acceptable and recommended today to wear something more aligned with the role you are applying for.  As a general rule (unless the role requires a uniform or other job specific clothing) it is a good idea to present yourself in similar clothes to what you would wear if you had the role.  Make sure your clothes are clean, tidy, in good repair, and – most importantly – comfortable.  No high heels if you can’t walk in them easily.  Nothing ill-fitting or revealing when standing or sitting.  And choose something that makes you feel good – a favourite shirt, your ‘lucky bangle’ or a scent/aftershave that makes you happy.  Without going overboard, show your personality in your appearance. 

Leading up to the interview, do the things that you know put you at ease.  If it helps you to do a ‘drive by’ the day before so you know exactly where you are going and where you are going to park – do it.  If you like to review your notes before an interview – make sure you take them along and read them in the car before you go in.  If it helps you to get some fresh air, park a little further away or get off the bus a few stops early and walk a few blocks before going in.  Whatever puts you in the best frame of mind before an interview – do that. 
Generally, once you are in an interview and it is underway, time goes very quickly and there isn’t much time to worry or be nervous.  If you are asked a question that catches you off guard or that you haven’t prepared for, pause, breathe and take a moment to think about your response.  Say to the interviewer, ‘That’s a great question, I might just need a moment to think about that.’ 

Make sure to make good eye contact and thank the interviewers for the opportunity to meet with them at the end of the interview.  You want to leave them with a positive impression of you so smile and be confident when you say goodbye and that you look forward to hearing from them. 

Be ready… for next time
Once the interview is over, take a little time to reflect on the experience.  How did you feel leading up to, during and, after the interview?  Are you happy with your preparation or are there things you think you could have done that you can do next time to feel more prepared?  Did you feel confident in the interview – would you wear something different, present something in another way or answer a question differently in future?  Reflecting on an interview is a great way to ensure, if you are not successful this time, you might well be the next time. 

If there were questions that you were asked that were difficult for you to answer, take a note of them.  Take some time to think about examples from your experience that you could use in answering the question next time you are asked it.  And practice those answers so they roll easily off your tongue. 

If you are unsuccessful in the interview, and you have the opportunity, ask the interviewer for some feedback.  Was there a particular reason why you were not the preferred candidate in this instance?  If it is not possible to get feedback from the interviewer, and you are finding that you are not having any luck securing a job after an interview process, talk to someone who can help you.  Share with them the examples you are using from your experience, how you discuss your strengths and weaknesses, and generally how you are presenting yourself at an interview.  This could be a trusted family member or friend, or a career professional.  Get some honest feedback from them and ideas of how you can better present yourself in future. 

Be kind to yourself
One thing to remember though is that an interview process allows the interviewer to choose the person (or people) they see as being the best fit for the job on that day.  The whole process can be very subjective and relies on individuals making a decision, based on criteria that you may not even be aware of.  Sometimes, you will have what feels like your best interview ever and they will still choose someone else.  And an interview where you might not feel you have done as well will be the one that secures you the role.  As long as you come away feeling like you have done all you can to present your best self, you should feel positive about the experience regardless of the outcome. 

bestfit HR Careers offers services to support your career and enhance your job search. For assistance with your CV, applications or interviews contact Anne-Marie on 022 428 1571 or email bestfithrnz@gmail.com for a free initial consultation and more information on services available.

What's your motivation?

Have you ever been in an interview situation and been asked ‘why do you want this job?’ Pretty typical, yes?

But what you may not realise is that many recruiters are asking that question when they first look at your application, and if they can’t see a link between where you have been and the role they are recruiting for, you just won’t get through the door to answer that question for yourself. There are plenty of reasons why you might be applying for a role other than the one that is the ‘obvious’ next step in your career. And you want the opportunity to explain that reason for yourself rather than have the recruiter make the decision for you.

So, what can you do to make sure you are sitting in that interview answering the question for yourself?

First things first, why DO you want the job? While many of us have been brought up with a traditional view that career is lineal and leads you from the bottom to the top of a ladder in your chosen career, there are many other steps you can take to make the journey more interesting and the destination worth your while. While forward progression is seen as a positive step – more money, more responsibility - sideways steps can be just as rewarding and can be more suitable for getting you where you want to be. You may take a lateral step to explore other facets of your industry or role, relocate to a different location, or to gain broader experience at your current level.

A step seen as backwards, may provide you with the opportunity to move into a different field or industry or take some time out for personal or professional development or to focus on something other than your career. And in these current turbulent employment times, you may just be looking for a foot in the door, a pay check and a way to continue to be employed.

While these options may make a lot of sense to you - and really, that’s all that matters – they can be confusing to a potential employer who might wonder ‘do they REALLY want this job?’

So, let’s look at some ways to address common concerns recruiters may have when reviewing your application…

‘You are over-qualified.’

Taking a step back down a career ladder rung or two is not a negative. It’s a great way to reassess and realign yourself and your career. Maybe you tried out a management position and found it wasn’t for you. You might have progressed down a specialist pathway and decided that you’d actually like to try something different. Maybe, you have other things going on in your life (i.e. family commitments, study, travel etc) and you don’t want the responsibility that a more senior role brings. Maybe, there aren’t other roles at the level you were at and you want to get back into employment.

You need to communicate this through your cover letter along with your reasons why this new role is attractive to you apart from the level i.e. it’s your preferred industry, it offers the flexibility you require, its location suits your needs. At the end of the day, it’s actually a win-win situation for you and the employer who gets more bang for their buck from someone who brings more to the role than is necessarily needed.

‘You have never worked in this industry.’

Sometimes employers can get hung up on the idea that industry or sector experience is essential to success. That nobody understands THEIR sector unless they’ve been a part of it. That their industry is somehow unique and will be too complex or different for someone coming in from another industry.

This is where you need to think a little creatively and look for similarities within your experience to the role you are applying for including common skills, attributes or activities i.e. events experience gives insight into delivering projects on time/budget, rules and regulations in an education environment can have parallels with those in government departments etc. Alternatively, you can talk about the differences that exist and how your experience with those aspects would assist you to bring new ideas and improvements to the role i.e. coming from a retail industry, you can bring a customer service focus into a front facing administrative role. You might also be able to demonstrate through aspects outside of your work experience your alignment to the new organisation, role and industry i.e. coaching a sports team gives you insight into coaching or mentoring a team in a supervisory position.

‘What would a teacher know about working in retail?’

Making a major change in your career direction can be the most difficult of all to communicate to a potential employer. And the bigger the change from your previous experience, the more challenging it becomes. This is where you really need to dissect your previous experience into transferable skills which you can map to the new role you are applying for. Break down your responsibilities in your previous roles and classify them using the language used by employers in the industry or area you are looking to enter. Do some research and get as much information as you can about the new industry and what is required so that you can align what you have done in the past to what will be expected of you in the roles you are looking for. Try taking a skill-based approach to your CV, focussing more on what your education, skills and attributes are rather than a chronological work history. This will allow recruiters to see more clearly without being deterred by position labels and levels.

Try to keep your spirits up and your confidence high during your job search even if you are not immediately gaining interviews or job offers. A positive attitude is extremely attractive to a potential employer. Where possible, seek feedback from recruiters if your application is not successful, and find out what reasons there were for not pursuing your application. Persevere and continue to look at a wide range of roles, to give you the greatest chance of success, as a foot in the door somewhere can lead to a whole new career.

bestfit HR Careers offers services to support your career and enhance your job search. For assistance with your CV, applications or interviews contact Anne-Marie on 022 428 1571 or email bestfithrnz@gmail.com for a free initial consultation and more information on services available.

Where are all the jobs?

So, you are on the search for a new role.  Maybe you have been made redundant? Ended a contract? Come back from overseas? Maybe you are fed up where you are?  Need a new challenge? Want to return to the workforce after having kids?  Where do you go? 

Many people in this position head straight to SEEK.com.  And why wouldn’t you?  Plenty of jobs, easy search engine and sends the suitable roles straight to your inbox. And it should definitely form part of your job search strategy.  But what you may not be aware of is that many jobs are vacated, created and filled every day without ever being posted on SEEK.  Time to open your eyes and look outside the search box to ensure you are accessing all the possibilities. 

First things first…

Initially it’s a good idea to get yourself registered on the big general job boards like SEEK.com, TradeMe jobs and Indeed. Make yourself familiar with the classifications and categories and set up some searches which will deliver relevant jobs to your mailbox daily.  Make sure to explore all the different areas of the site and look into each category as you never know where your sort of role might be hiding.  For example, if you are looking for administration roles, use the administration category but also look at other categories such as charity, real estate, marketing etc as you will find that they may have subcategories relating to administration roles in those industries or sectors.  Keep your options broad re salary and types of roles to ensure you see the most opportunities and check out new options to view work from home and flexible roles which might offer different avenues to you for employment.

Now let’s get a bit more specific…

Once you have yourself established on these general job boards, you can then widen your net to include any job boards specific to you or the type of role or industry you are interested in.  There are so many different job boards available today which will narrow down the opportunities to those relevant to you.  From a sector perspective you can try a Government jobs board such as www.jobs.govt.nz, or search on job boards focussing on the industry you want to work in, such as Crewlist for arts and media and Potentia for jobs in IT.  You can also find job boards for where you are in your career, i.e. Grad New Zealand for internships and graduate roles, Wise Ones for mature workers and Needed for freelancers.  There are specialist sites for workers with disabilities, migrants, Maori and pacific islanders and the list goes on.  Most of these sites will also have tips specific to the area you are looking for employment in that will be more relevant to you than those on the more general jobs sites.  Facebook groups on specific areas, industries or sectors might also provide a different range of opportunities – search for relevant ones to your job search. 

Its not what you know….

The old adage is never more true, people you know can be more valuable than anything else when it comes to looking for a job.  Try to stay connected with current and past career contacts, keep them up to date with where you are and notify them when you are seeking new opportunities.  Use tools such as LinkedIn to profile your career and keep in touch with what is available and when you do move into job seeker mode, connect with your contacts here to find out about roles in their organisations or that they may know of.  The job search section of LinkedIn is also a great way to find out about opportunities and applying directly through the site is fairly easy.   Don’t forget your other networks as well when looking for a job – your friends, family, sporting clubs etc – spread the word about what you are looking for and you may be surprised to discover what opportunities can appear.

Get the experts working for you…

Another great place to look is on the websites of recruiters which will often have their own job search facility or general invitations for candidates.  Focus on recruiters that are either local to where you are searching or who have a national reach.  Recruiters also specialise in industries or sectors so do some research into which will be most suited to your job search.  Applying for a role through an agency will get you listed on their books and they may then put you forward for opportunities they have available.  Where possible, get to know the recruiter and stay in touch so you are front of mind should they have a suitable role.  Industry associations and peak bodies can also be helpful.  They may have job boards themselves or networks where you can get yourself in front of employers in your industry.  While they may have membership or subscription fees for access to their sites or publications, a one-off outlay may be worth it if it gives you a wider pool of job opportunities. 

Target your preferred employer…

Another great hunting ground for roles, is the career section on company websites.  Target the organisations you are interested in working for or who employ people in your area or specialisation.  Often, they will have an opportunity to sign up for notification when relevant roles become available.  If you are feeling really proactive, research who is involved with recruiting for the organisation and make contact letting them know that you are interested and providing your CV or other details.  Be assertive but not too pushy as you want them to remember you in a positive light.  LinkedIn can be a great opportunity for this type of approach, particularly if you are connected with people within the organisation already.

You never know where an opportunity might appear…                                                                                                                                       

Keep your eyes peeled for the less obvious sources of vacancies.  Don’t forget to check out notice boards at your local community centre or supermarket.  Check out job vacancies in relevant industry publications or local newspapers.  Join an online noticeboard such as Neighbourly and let people in your area know what you have to offer. 

It won’t happen overnight…

Try not to get discouraged if your search does not immediately lead to success.  Remember each day new jobs and opportunities become available.  Even if your search has not uncovered the right role for you today, tomorrow is another day and it is important to stay positive and persevere. 

bestfit HR Careers offers services to support your career and enhance your job search. For assistance with your CV, applications or interviews contact Anne-Marie on 022 428 1571 or email bestfithrnz@gmail.com for a free initial consultation and more information on services available.