Begin With The End In Mind
August 31, 2009 by Darlene McDaniel
Filed under Jobs
Do you know where you’re headed? Do you have a destination in mind when it comes to your job search? The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was such a novel idea when Stephen Covey wrote and published his book years ago. The second habit he discusses, Habit 2 is Begin With the End in Mind. As I ponder that habit today, I thought about job seekers who are struggling to find employment. It is a challenge to find a job today, but not impossible. I know that one of the major issues I find with job seekers is what I will call the “machine gun” approach. Applying for any and all jobs with the hope of hitting a target. That approach may work, but what type of job are you really after?
The “machine gun” approach to your job search may land you a job, but is it the right job for you? If we apply Habit 2 from the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to your job search strategy, than you are forced to evaluate what type of job you are looking for. Be specific. What type of organization are you looking for? These two questions will move you closer to your job search and better utilize your investment of time you use to work your job search.
When I was in the market for a job years ago, my clearly defined goal was to find senior level training manager positions. I wanted to manage training departments and I wanted to work with senior people in the organizations. I wasn’t looking for entry level positions. I was only interested in jobs that allowed me to manage people and processes at a high level. I wanted the opportunity to train senior leaders in the organizations and I wanted autonomy for the results of my team. That is exactly what I got in the last two professional positions I worked.
What is your desired outcome? When you sit across from a hiring manager, can you clear communicate the goal of your job search? If your goal is to get a job, than any job will do. That is not how I see the world. Nor should you. Figure out what your really need. What’s most important to you when you evaluate where you have been before and where you are headed.
There is no way that you can accomplish what you want in your job search if you don’t have a specific, clearly defined goal. Be intentional in your job search. Don’t allow the difficulty of the market to be a hindrance to your search. Decide what you want to do and go for it. And don’t accept anything less than what you want for your job.
Image Credit: sxc.hu
I like the advice and actually I need to focus on providing my candidates with more of that as they look for new positions or interview with our clients for roles. A clearly defined end game is not in the cards for most people. They want to work, or they want to be a developer, or even a project manager. I think the broadness of the search keeps them from truly being able to represent more clearly their desires for their career. With a dialed in approach, the communications with hiring managers and other professionals is clear since they know exactly what they are trying to accomplish. Thanks for the post!!