In the past five days, I have had two conversations with job seekers. Both are Gen Xers, currently under-employed. One is working for a not-for-profit, the other for a conservatively managed packaging company. They have some job satisfaction, but their scope, salaries, and sense of accomplishment are below their expectations. Both seek positions that are more appropriate to their capabilities, experience, and aspirations. They want to be fully engaged and productive. Denise is frustrated as she has had several viable opportunities slip through her fingers. She doesn’t understand why but realizes that she may need professional help. John is just getting started on his job search. His career is still on the upswing, so he is looking for greater responsibility. I agreed to look at their resumes and to offer my thoughts.
Many Baby Boomers and Gen Xers have difficulty reconnecting in this job market. It is not just because we are recovering from a pandemic induced recession, which has created issues for many service sector companies. These companies are coming back, albeit slowly. They are reluctant to add full-time equivalents until they have confidence in their financial situation. Of course, many companies did not survive the lock-down. Those jobs are gone. It is a confusing time for healthy companies too. They are adjusting their strategies, looking for better ways to be competitive and grow revenue. As the economy recovers, their strategy is to identify and pursue new opportunities. This is exactly the mindset required for job seekers.
Because some job seekers lack a clear sense of direction, they come to me for help. From my perspective, they do not appreciate the opportunities being created in this economy. They have difficulty prioritizing the value of their skills. They don’t understand their Unique Selling Proposition. They have difficulty creating positioning strategies of interest to employers. They do not have an effective elevator pitch. And, they have difficulty connecting with younger professionals. Savvy professionals, they are struggling through “the fog of war.”
The other side of the equation reflects the needs of prospective employers. Most employment opportunities are with Small to Mid-Cap and emerging Companies. Many of these are owned by Private Equity Groups. They need employees who can help them grow. They need leaders, project managers, program managers, and portfolio managers. They need employees who can innovate and help them identify new lines of business.
Job Seekers need to think strategically to conduct a successful search. They need to begin with the fundamentals, analysis. A viable strategy begins with a SWOT Analysis. SWOT is the acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats underlying the planning process. If you understand this process, you can determine where your strengths align with opportunities in the market. You will understand how to nullify your weaknesses and mitigate threats. How you deploy your efforts and resources to capitalize on opportunities is your strategy. Putting these components together to realize your goal is your plan. If you don’t have the skills to do a strategic analysis of your situation, seek professional help.
When your strategy is established you must craft a clear, concise way to communicate your objective, your positioning statement. A positioning statement answers three questions. Who are you? What do you do? And how do you conduct your work? More recently a fourth question has been added; why? This last question gets to the heart of your value system.
Your Positioning Statement is also known as your Elevator Pitch. You will use this in person, while networking, and in your written correspondence. It should be the lead on your LinkedIn Profile, resume, and bio. It is your Brand Message. Your Unique Selling Proposition is the “how,” of what you do. This statement must be easily understood, unique, and memorable.
Baby boomers and Gen Xers have a vast amount of experience managing teams, projects, and programs. This is a huge advantage that many fail to recognize. They know how to get things done because they have solid interpersonal skills. Their leadership abilities set them apart from younger employees. They need to take stock of their strengths, skills, and experience to understand how and where they are needed by the market.
Thank you for visiting our blog.
Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners
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