Today is a really exciting day for me. Yep, that’s right. It’s Draft Day for the National Football League. And to me, that only means one thing. Football season (my favorite time of the year) is just around the corner! Few stages exist where landing a job is such a public act. I can’t think of too many others, except for maybe our presidential election, oh, and American Idol.
Much goes into selecting the right person for the team. Coaches (and sometimes management) evaluate the team, find the holes (the same ones the opponents found in the previous season!), and look for individuals who would be both a fit for the position as well as a fit within the organization. Rarely is it a highly strategic decision (although I’m certain some would disagree with me). And often times, all of the work going into the selection might be hastily disregarded because a player they didn’t think would be available still is (e.g., the AZ Cardinals and Matt Leinart a few years back).
When you think about it, it’s not unlike other companies. A company will evaluate its current need and make a tactical decision to hire someone. It is very rare anymore to find a company that makes strategic hires the majority of the time (meaning…”we want you on the team and we’ll figure out where later”). And, over the lifespan of a company, needs change. One day, they might be looking for someone to expand the business rapidly. The next, they’re looking for a turnaround expert (because the predecessor expanded too quickly?). Either way, what you need to think about in your job search is, what do I bring to the table? Where do I fit in? And then align that with the companies that require your kind of expertise.
Just because you’re a great business developer doesn’t mean the company needs your skills. Recently, Andrew came to one of our Executives Network meetings. He knows how to sell. His problem is that his company doesn’t know how to deliver. Right now, they don’t need Andrew. They need an operations specialist who can get the business to deliver on what Andrew sold. The most important thing for Andrew – as he looks for his next position – is to evaluate the company’s operations and ensure they are equipped to deliver. Otherwise, he’ll end up where he is today…looking for a job.
In an economy like this, companies are looking for tactical hires. Filling a role for where they are in the lifecycle of the company. Sometimes they’re expanding. Sometimes they’re contracting. Sometimes they’re on a marketing roll. Sometimes they’re on a layoff roll.
As you evaluate which companies you want to work for, take a close look at which stage the company is in. Determine not only if this is the right company for you, but is the company in the right stage of its lifecycle for you? Sometimes a company that wasn’t a fit a few years back is a perfect fit now. And sometimes a company that isn’t a fit today just might be ready for you in a couple years. Doing your homework here could make the difference between a lot of companies interested in you…and none interested in you.
Gotta run! Let’s see what the Lions do to in an effort to dodge another 0-16 season (and being that silver bullet brings a lot of pressure. Matt, are you up for it?).
Filed under: Job Search Tagged: | differentiate yourself, effective job search, Executives Network, finding a job, get more offers, getting a job, Job Search, landing a job, Looking for a job, Molly Wendell, reposition yourself
