Know Yourself, You are Your Own Best Investment!

Searching for a job today is rough! Online applications, submitting your resume, tweaking your resume, figuring out what you want to do, who you are, what you bring to the table! Its a mind blower! I have submitted resume after resume, and I have gotten movement, but unfortunately its not in the area I want moved! The companies that have vied for my attention are great companies, but not in the field I desire to work in. So, what to do? Why am I not getting movement where I want to work?

I first found out that only about 1% of online applications and resumes make it through the gate to the person who is hiring for the job. That was horrifying! Then I listened to a gal, Ashley Stahl, who is a well known career coach, share some statistics that were just as sobering. Only about 20% of all jobs are even listed on the job boards. That means there are jobs out there to the tune of 80% that most people are not even seeing, including me!

I realized after listening to her yesterday that I kind of know myself, but wasn’t thinking of myself in regard to accomplishments in quite the right way. Resume’s are meant to be self marketing. My own best investment is…well…me! So, I have a dream, a wonderful day dream of having my own business. I have started the process, but am also looking for a place in a great organization to do some awesome work before I reach for my dream in it’s entirety. My whole focus needs to change as I look for the 80% of opportunities out there instead of settling for the 20% that I can see.

My first task is to understand what results I have produced in previous positions that have really benefited the organization I worked for. I also need to know what I really want to do and not accept settling for any job that comes my way. I also need to make sure I do not take a lesser job to get my foot in the door, because its likely I would do such a fantastic job at it that I would not be able to move higher up! An understanding of me is first, then a re-work of my resume, and finally, its time to get out there, attend job fairs, and network on the ground! The internet is great, and I love so much about it, but it is holding me back from getting to the 80% of jobs out there and I just know that my perfect fit is there!