Reinventing Yourself for Job Search Success

Nancy Anderson
Posted by in Career Advice


If you're taking the first steps back into the job market after a long hiatus, you may be surprised to find how much the marketplace has changed. Often, job seekers find that they need to completely reinvent themselves to find the job that lets them shine. Establishing a thoughtful strategy for your job search, tapping into a solid network of connections and taking some risks can help ensure that the reinvented "you" is able to thrive. Here are some tips to help you revamp yourself to succeed in your job search.

Connect and Network

You can't reinvent yourself in the privacy of your own room. Part of any job search strategy, especially if you've had some downturns, is reaching out to remind people of the assets you have to offer. Become active on social media if you haven't been before, and connect with people with whom you might not have previously interacted. Spread the word about what kind of job you're seeking. While it can seem frightening to make cold contacts, you may be surprised by the responses you receive.

Make a list of people who might be able to offer you good advice and strengthen your network. Call them up, buy them coffee and request their help. Seek their advice about how to rebrand yourself, and ask for introductions to new contacts in the industry. They may recommend people who are hiring or who can open doors to future job opportunities.

Research

Reinvention takes a lot of research and planning. Start by making yourself your first research topic. Dig a little deeper to understand your strengths and weaknesses. Determine the areas in which you want to improve, and develop a plan for that personal development. Seek feedback from colleagues to make sure you're assessing yourself correctly. You may even be judging things as weaknesses that your friends and co-workers consider strengths.

In addition, research the field in which you want to work, the companies you want to work for and the position you want to hold. Keep your mind open about what you want to do, especially if you're making a midlife career change.

Resurrect the research skills you honed in college, and try to get back into that inquisitive mindset. When you're seeking a new job, it's easy to fall back on the security of things you already know. Instead, realize that every day is an opportunity to learn something new, and that each thing you learn makes you more valuable to a new employer.

Behave As If You Had the Job

Develop the kind of strategic thinking you need to step into the job you want. Dress appropriately for the position you aspire to hold. While you are on the hunt for the ideal job, use your down time to hone skills that aren't as strong as they could be.

If you're trying to position yourself for a promotion within your current workplace, look for advocates within your company. Ask if you can shadow them or sit in on meetings that you haven't had access to before.

Create

Do something every day that allows you to express yourself and your passions.  Even if your creative outlet doesn't lead directly to a new job, the fact that you're doing something creative helps you feel confident and productive, while it sends a positive message to potential employers.

If you want to start a new business, start building a business plan. If you want a promotion at work, start envisioning what you would do in that position. Set a personal goal to create something new every day so that you can look back at the end of the day and see what you've accomplished.

Be Resilient

Reinventing yourself within the job marketplace takes a great deal of persistence. Stay focused on what you want and don't give up. If you're trying to make a big change, don't be surprised if negative emotions crop up from time to time. Figure out what fears or doubts are keeping you from being bold, and find a way to push past them. Be willing to take risks in your job search and your reinvention.

Taking risks always involves a certain amount of failure. If you're reinventing yourself, you can expect that you'll fail frequently. Your success, paradoxically, depends on your ability to cope with setbacks and to be resilient enough to change as the marketplace demands it.

Resilience is a key character quality that can keep you strong through the ups and downs of your job search. If you can keep bouncing back, developing new skills and tapping into your creativity, you can make the most of all the research and connections you've amassed. By staying focused on your goals and challenging yourself to try new job search tactics, you should find your new "you" happily ensconced in a satisfying position before you know it.

Photo Courtesy of Anton Diaz at Flickr.com

Comment

Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.

  • Shaday Stewart
    Shaday Stewart

    @Jane H, You don't have to move to a new place to change your profession, but you're absolutely right about meeting new people and trying new things. It's important to seek out environments and hobbies that put you in contact with people in your target industry. You don't necessarily have to do formal networking, but you can look for new social groups (through organizations such as Meetup), join business/trade organizations, take a creative class or college course, and go to workshops and seminars related to your target industry. And of course, volunteering is always a way to get exposure to other industries before making a leap.

  • Jane H.
    Jane H.

    I've had friends try to reinvent themselves and end up going back to their old line of work. It seems to me the principal mistake they made was to keep all the same friends, live in the same place, and maintain the same routine. Do you think that if a person is failing frequently, as your article mentioned, that it would be helpful for a person to pick up and move to a new town and get a completely new start, not just a new job?

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Thanks for the comments and the differing viewpoints. @Duncan I agree that taking a break from the job search can actually hurt you. I have found, in my own experience, that if I apply for several positions, that my phone will start ringing. But, once I stop, even for a week, the phone stops ringing. @Mike I agree that all social media accounts are important. Employers are very tech savvy these days and they will view your social media accounts - depending upon the type of job, of course. Turning them off during the job search truly can hurt you because employers will wonder (1) what you are hiding and (2) maybe you are too antisocial for the position and/or the organization. I have found that it's much easier to just keep my social media clean right from the start so that I don't have to scramble and go through everything prior to applying for a job. Just my two cents worth. Anyone else want to chime in here?

  • Duncan  Maranga
    Duncan Maranga

    It's true that even the shortest break from the job market can actually alienate you in manner that you may never have thought of before. That's why the idea of making your comeback count through proper and rigorous networking is a wise one. I believe getting in touch with those currently in the marketplace will give you a lot of confidence to approach employers in the new fashion of professional presentation.

  • Mike Van de Water
    Mike Van de Water

    That's ironic, Catherine, because that's the part I MOST agree with out of the article. Social media (especially Facebook) is absolutely vital, and restricting yourself to LinkedIn isn't a great idea. A lot of times you know somebody who knows somebody who needs an employee, and without that middle connection you'd never run across one another. Additionally, if your "social circle" knows that you excel in a particular area, they are more likely to bring new opportunities directly to you!

  • CATHERINE S.
    CATHERINE S.

    I disagree with the point about the necessity of having social media accounts for successful job searches. I think having a LinkedIn account is probably recommended, but other social media accounts, such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram can often be very detrimental to job applicants because they display personal opinions, unprofessional behaviors and often vanity and egotism. When I am applying for a job, I make sure to shut down all my social media accounts except for LinkedIn.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Shannon everyone would respond differently to your question. For me, if I faced rejection, I would probably brood for a day or so and then pick myself back up and move on. Not everyone can do that I understand. You know yourself better than anyone so you know how you would react.

  • Shannon Philpott
    Shannon Philpott

    I love that the article stresses the importance of resilience. Job seekers, in general, have to develop thick skin and be able to bounce back when faced with rejections. What are some strategies, techniques or practices you would recommend to make the most out of rejections or resistance job seekers face?

  • Laura Winzeler
    Laura Winzeler

    I love that you incorporated creativity into this post, Nancy. I think of it as an “energy generating” technique that carries a powerful, forward-moving momentum. Maybe it’s creating a mosaic flower pot, puttering in the garden, or power walking while singing way too loudly to your iPod shuffle (my favorite creative acts!) Although seemingly unrelated to the job search, there’s a real generative magic in creative acts that can set many unexpected and fortunate events into motion.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Hema your best bet is to have a LinkedIn account - at a minimum. Make sure that the message in your LinkedIn account reflects the same thing in the resume that you sent to the hiring company. If you have other social media accounts, check them out and make sure that there isn't anything on them that might cause a prospective employer pause.

  • Hema Zahid
    Hema Zahid

    A presence on social media can help in a job search, but how many social media accounts should you have? Anyone who’s looking to join the workforce after a break might become overwhelmed with all the social media platforms out there. Is there any way to find out which platform might be the most useful for a specific job search?

  • Jay Bowyer
    Jay Bowyer

    I fully agree with the tip about pretending you already have the job. When you engage an interviewer from this perspective, they get a first-hand look at what you'll be like to work with, and what kinds of ideas you'll bring to the table. You basically offer your skills to the interviewer on a platter, and make it nearly impossible for them to resist you.

  • Lydia K.
    Lydia K.

    @William, Writing a blog a day or even a few days a week is an excellent idea. This doesn't just help you feel like player, your writing can actually attract the attention of recruiters and other influencers in your field. A blog or portfolio of web writing is almost essential in today's job market and can help to make your CV a standout. So my advice would be to write what you're passionate about and you can't go wrong with it.

  • William Browning
    William Browning

    Creating something every day doesn't have to revolve around something as huge as a business plan or seeking a promotion. It can be something as simple as writing a blog for 30 minutes a day or making that new pasta dish you read about on a cooking website you follow. When you create every day, you learn what makes you tick and how to turn that passionate creativity into a career.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Abbey there are many ways to find networking opportunities. Many larger cities have networking opportunities all of the time. Try doing a search for industry type networking in your city. Once you find some, see if you can register with them and then you can receive emails for upcoming networking events. Other ways to network would be through contacts you have made in other companies, other positions, in school, in church, in your community and the list goes on. They don't have to be with people that you already know. Get out and meet some new people. Take the bull by the horns so to speak and walk up to a stranger and strike up a conversation. You might be amazed.

  • Abbey Boyd
    Abbey Boyd

    What are some of the rules of networking? I understand the more contacts you have, the better off you are, but how do you find these people? Should they be people with whom you've interacted in the past, or can you really strike up conversations with random people in hopes of making a new connection?

  • You Might Also Be Interested In

article posted by Staff Editor in Career Advice
article posted by Staff Editor in Career Advice

Jobs to Watch