With the unemployment rate still hovering at 6.1 percent, it is no secret that finding and keeping a job is a difficult task. Add to that, companies are being asked to cut budgets, cut services and do more work with less resources. So what is an unemployed person to do? And what about those who are working two or three jobs to make ends meet? Or the over-qualified candidate busting his/her butt to keep an entry-level job?
Stand out. Make you and your talents known. Network. Follow up. Be available. Be knowledgeable. Be professional.
The advice that others give (notably those who are employed as recruiters, headhunters and HR executives) is to stand out, to get noticed. I am not an HR expert, but I have done my fair share of reviewing resumes, conducting interviews and extending offers to the chosen few. Nor am I a life coach, though I have given advice to many that has resulted in positive conclusions. However, I have to poke a hole in the HR philosophy to 'stand out' and put my life coach hat on: Don't just stand out, stand up.
Whether you are looking for a job or want to move up in your existing job, you have to prove that you are better than everyone else. No need to be cocky, just confident. Size up your 'competition' and figure out what you have to offer that would benefit an organization more than the other guy. Stand up and make those positive distinctions known. The jobs, the clients, the promotions don't just come to you - you have to stand up and get them.
We live in a time and culture where everyone has a Master's degree, a PhD or five degrees. Individuals are staying in the workforce longer (too afraid to retire), employers are streamlining their processes to eliminate redundancies and businesses are running with bare-boned staff to ensure that they operate in the black. So, how can YOU help their business?
Be creative. Showcase your portfolio. Go retro and send personal, handwritten, snail-mail notes. Be needed. Everyone is 'replaceable'. Make it harder for them to replace you. There is no need to be an Atlas...to take on all projects, but be involved in as many as you can so that you can take over if needed. Stand up and take on as much as you can without negatively affecting the work you do.
Be personable. Nobody wants to hire a negative Nellie. You could be the Steve Jobs of your field, but if you are not engaging or if you are prone to criticize (not constructively) or gossip instead of work....you will NOT land or keep a job.
You are at your best when you are you. Stand up and let employers know your value.
Sales professionals don't get clients to sign by blasting their competition or (shockingly) their own product or service. They don't sign clients who possess an air of arrogance and lack passion for the product or service they are selling. They sign because the representative was prepared, knowledgeable, professional, engaging and explained why their product/service "stands out". They stand up to stand out.
If you are interviewing for jobs - hang in there. Continue to stand up. The right job will come your way. If you have a job, stand up to stand out from the crowd. Prove yourself by being yourself. Work for a business or an individual who values YOU.
In this day and age, it isn't shocking anymore that the guy who is serving you at McDonald's probably has a PhD in economics. Do not lean on your degrees to get or maintain a job. Lean on your talents, your contacts, your family and friends. They can help you stand out in an over-saturated market. But only you can stand up and successfully land the job or promotion.
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