What are you looking for in your job and career? Are you seeking growth opportunities? Do you want a role with minimal pressure? Are you being honest with yourself about what you really want? As recruiters we see many candidates who lack a clear vision on what they are looking for and this inevitably works against them in interviews. Below are some tips on finding clarity and presenting yourself in the best possible light for achieving your goals.
You can’t have it all…
Being ambitious is a positive trait. However being ambitious and also unwilling to work hard and compromise, will set you up for failure.
Be honest with yourself about what you are looking for in your job. If you’re seeking career growth and a high paid job, then there will be more pressure in that role. Ask yourself if you are prepared to make the sacrifices required of you. For instance, while working remotely is more of a norm these days, a senior management position may require that you’re in the office five days or a minimum of three days a week.
It’s unlikely a job will satisfy all your goals and needs. So you need to work out what matters most to you. Do you want to prioritise career progression or working entirely from home? Be clear about which is most important to you right now because you can’t always have it all.
How you start the process influences how you’ll be treated later.
Everyone knows they need to impress in an interview in order to get the job. However, you also need to be mindful that how you start the process will establish how you’re treated later on, should you be hired. Be aware of how you’re presenting yourself.
In this candidate favouring job market, a bi-product we’re seeing is that some candidates are approaching interviews very transactionally. Aware that there are lots of job opportunities at this time, some candidates approach interviews accordingly. Candidates may become so focussed on attaining the best salary and/or job flexibility that they become less personable and enthusiastic about the job. Down the track, if you’re hired by this company, the way you behaved with your interviewee/s will inform how they treat you.
Align your values
Ideas about success are typically linked to salary, with the assumption that the highest earners are the most successful and happiest. While a high salary is undeniably desirable and gives you more options. Job satisfaction is not entirely wound up in our wages. It’s important to be clear about what your values are and look at whether the job you are doing or seeking aligns with them. You will be more content and garner greater job satisfaction if you have value alignment with the company and work that you do. If you’re wanting to dig into your values more, this Indeed article demonstrates 6 Steps to Discover Your Core Values.
Having a clear vision about what you want and what truly matters to you are essential to a happy and successful career.