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If you’re in the middle of a job search, you probably have lots of well-meaning family members and friends giving you advice on how to find a job as fast as you can. Unfortunately, these people could be giving you TERRIBLE job search advice without even realizing it.
Do you ever hear people telling you to be “open to any opportunity” that comes along? Or do they advise you to “take anything that’s available”?
This might surprise you, but these are actually the WORST things you can do for your career. Here’s why…
Back in the day, employers were looking for hardworking people who could do everything. They wanted generalists. So, if you could do something, even if you weren’t the best at it and even if it didn’t relate to the job you wanted, you would put that thing on your resume.
While this might have been sought after years ago, it’s not what employers want anymore. Employers are looking for specialists in their fields. They want to know that the people they hire know everything there is to know about the thing they were hired to do.
Unfortunately, there are still lots of professionals out there who still brand themselves as “Jack- or Jills-of-all-trades.” They can do it all. They know everything. They’re generalists. And employers aren’t impressed.
That’s why it’s important to showcase your specialty. What specific problem do you solve? How? That’s what you want to focus on during your job search.
So, before you take Aunt Hilde’s (accidentally) terrible job search advice from 20 years ago, think about how job search is being done today. What are employers looking for NOW?
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