A little while ago, my good friend and fellow Career Practitioner, Naishadh Gadani, approached me with an invitation to contribute to a visionary career book he was developing.
Naish transformed his inspiring career doodles into a truly extraordinary publication: “The Big Book of Career Doodles.” This remarkable work serves as a gateway to a world where doodles seamlessly merge with invaluable career advice, and it was a privilege to be one of the many contributors from around the globe asked to write our thoughts and reflections on the doodles in his book.
Curious about what I contributed?
Naturally, it was a topic I specialise in and am very passionate about educating others on – Optimising your Job Search For Success!
You can read more about my thoughts and career advice which accompany Naish’s career doodle “Two Ways To Get the Job You Deserve” below.
While there are many ways to get the job you deserve, this doodle depicts two ways you can search for, identify and secure opportunities.
Reactive Job Search
The image on the left relates to adopting a reactive job search, meaning you look for work passively. This is a very popular job search method, with the majority of jobseekers only applying to positions they see advertised online on job boards, or on company websites. In essence, you ‘chase employers’ for opportunities.
The problem with a reactive job search is that you are often going up against hundreds of other applicants, so the competition is fierce. Another issue is that each year, on average, only 25% of available positions are formally advertised online. This means that the remaining 75% of positions are informally ‘advertised’ and filled via what is known as the ‘hidden’ job market.
Given this ‘hidden’ job market contains the majority of Australian jobs, jobseekers can no longer rely on formally advertised positions alone to find work. This is why adopting a proactive job search is so important.
Proactive Job Search
The image on the right relates to adopting a proactive job search. A proactive job search involves identifying and attracting opportunities before they are advertised, allowing you to tap into the hidden job market. One sure way to attract opportunities and employers is to develop a strong personal brand.
Your personal brand tells others who you are, what unique skills, strengths, expertise and experiences you offer, and what your personal values include.
Your personal brand also communicates your value proposition, that is, a statement or summary detailing your skills, background or expertise that differentiates you from your competition. Your value proposition also demonstrates what makes you unique and why you’re the best fit for a particular position or organisation.
Benefits of Personal Branding
When done effectively, your personal brand can help you build a strong reputation, leading to new opportunities, powerful connections and strong networks that enhance both your personal and professional life.
Effective personal branding also elevates your online and market presence, allowing you to become more accessible and visible among prospective employers and recruiters.
So, instead of ‘chasing employers’, your personal brand will attract employers, leading to authentically engaged career conversations and opportunities.
If you are changing careers or entering / re-entering the workforce, focus on the skills, value and experiences that are transferrable and which meet the needs of the organisations or employers you are targeting.
