For every job opening, there are three people who are unemployed. When it comes to finding your dream job, this isn’t the best news for job seekers. However, this does present an opportunity: to create a job that doesn’t exist yet.
Many job seekers are beginning to realize they can create their own opportunities. All it takes is some initiative, a positive attitude, and the willingness to step outside of your comfort zone. If you’re wondering how you can take control over your job search, here are some tips to help you create your very own job:
1. Stop searching for open positions.
Although 4.7 million jobs have been created over the last three years, there’s still a gap between talent and open positions. Instead of spending your time searching for the job best suited for you, why not look for the best company? Ideally, if you’re going to land your dream job, it’ll be at a company you believe in. To create your own job, research companies you’d like to work for and whether or not they have a need for your skills.
2. Do your research and create a plan.
After you create a list of companies you’d like to work for, determine how you’ll fill the employer’s gap. Carefully research the strengths and weaknesses of each company and decide if your skills match up. For example, say your expertise is in social media and content marketing. If you discover one of your dream companies lack a strong online presence (and could greatly benefit from one), you could create a plan for a digital communications manager position.
3. Determine how companies can capitalize on your talent.
Once you complete your research, determine exactly how each company will benefit from your skills and experience. Remember, companies want to know what’s in it for them. If you researched a company well enough, you should be able to concisely explain how your expertise will help them reach their goals through creating the position you proposed.
4. Connect with the right people.
Did you know 80 percent of jobs are landed by networking? If you want to score your dream job, you need to connect with the right people. The people you need to contact are the movers and shakers of the company. Directly approach employees who have a say in your proposed position and would influence the hiring process. This could be a professional who works in the department where your position would be created (and not human resources). Let’s say you want to create a social media manager position. It’d probably be a smart idea for you to get in contact with the company’s communication department. By connecting with the right people, you’ll be able increase your chances of getting your foot in the door and your voice heard.
5. Perfect your pitch.
When it’s time to sell your skills and experience to employers, you need to know what to say. Employers are extremely busy and only care about important details. You need to position yourself as a professional who’s going to be the missing link to company’s success. By identifying the company’s needs and using accomplishment stories to illustrate how you’re the solution, you’ll be able to convince the employer they need to hire you for the new position.
When creating a job that doesn’t exist, you have be the solution for a company. Through careful research and planning, you’ll be able to determine how your skills provide the company with what they need.
Have you created your own job? What helped you create a new position?
Author Bio
Heather Huhman writes for Glassdoor.com.
