A lot of people keep getting rejected in their job search and they might think it's because of their CV or because they don't speak Dutch. But there is a large chance that they do not 100% understand what they are looking for, what skills employers are looking for, and how to create that "perfect match" with your dream job. That's the reason that you need a thorough understanding of the market and yourself.
For some, it seems obvious that they don't get hired because of their language. They might say something like: "recruiters keep telling me that they are not interested because I don't speak Dutch...". Others think it's because of their CV, so they hire someone to take a look at their CV or even worse, a CV writing service. While the intention behind this is good (to appear better for potential employers), this falls flat because of a few reasons:
The CV writer doesn't know you as well as you do
CV writing is a fundamental skill: you'll need to be able to present yourself well
Landing your dream job is about much more than just a CV
So you might be wondering how to land a dream job, then? Then this blog post is for you. One of the main things to do is to position yourself in a strong way. Companies are looking to solve a pain in their organization, so that you need to become the pain-killer. The secret to doing that successfully lies in the match between you and the job description. To create that match, we need to reposition ourselves. Here I will share with you some strategies on how to do that successfully in today's competitive job market.
1. Gaining in-depth knowledge about yourself
Repositioning yourself in the labour market always starts with in-depth knowledge about yourself. Who are you? What do you stand for? What do you like to do? What do you hate to do? How do you cooperate with others? What gives you energy? What drains your energy so much that you just can't wait to go home? What are you looking for in a job? What makes you extraordinary?
A good place to start for this is to take some personality tests like the Myers Briggs test and read about your results. Compare them to your self-image. Ask friends and family what they think. Use these insights to understand what job position & description would fit 100% what you are looking for.
Make this exercise as practical as possible. What kind of work would you be doing? Would you be analysing reports? Creating spreadsheets? Working with other people? Managing them? Designing strategy in slides? Executing on strategy by working on implementation? Would you have meetings? How many? You really want to paint a picture of your dream job.
After all, Alice In Wonderland already taught us that "if you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there."
2. Understanding job market demand
Of course, it's not enough to know what you want. To get results fast in your job search, it's important to go for quality over quantity. One key benefit of that approach is that it gives you the time and space to truly understand what's going on. What are employers looking for? What are the industry trends that are on hiring managers' agenda's? What is the demand in the job market?
Much like entrepreneurs get better results when they offer things people really want, you as a job seeker will get better results if you "package yourself" in a way that aligns with what recruiters want. To do that, you first need to pause and listen. Take a good look at job descriptions, listen well to YouTube recruiting videos, and talk to some people from the company if possible. What is the common theme that they are looking for?
Of course, you don't want to lie here. So don't present yourself as something that you're not. But you do want to compare your own personal passion with what the company is looking for in their job candidates and see if you can create a perfect match. This brings us to your value to the company.
3. What could be your value?
Your value as a job seeker is what you can bring to the company. Things like:
What problems would you solve?
What things would you make easier?
What added value do you bring to a company's processes & customers?
You want to understand this well so that you can answer recruiters' questions such as "why should we hire you?" But also to get invited in the first place. If you subtly and smartly position yourself in a way that shows your value as a job seeker, the recruiter will see this and cannot wait to invite you.
To do this, we need a deep understanding of your personal history and skills. You can see why this is not something that a CV writer could easily do for you. If you're wondering how to present this in a great CV yourself, you can view my free training here.
4. Finding the sweet spot in your career
We now know that we should understand ourselves, the demand in the job market, and what value we can bring. But be warned: we need to apply for jobs where all of these things align. If one of them is missing, we may not get the results we are looking for. For example, if a job doesn't align with your skill set, you will probably not get it. Or if you do, you won't be happy. If it doesn't align with company goals, hiring managers won't even feel the need to speak to you. So it's important to find something where everything matches. And then use project methodology to really apply in a systematic and effective way.
This may seem easier said then done. It's not easy to find a job where the stars align and where you feel happy, energized, effective, valued and more. To do this well, you need to investigate what your career means to you.
Conclusion
We've seen that many people fall into the trap of thinking their language or CV is the culprit of the lack of job search success. Instead of blaming these things, you want to take a good look at your positioning in the market and see how you can improve it. Applying for jobs without the right positioning is like swimming against the river. Everything will feel difficult, as if nothing is working. Even if you're smart, talented and have done great things already. If, instead, your positioning is perfect, you'll quickly feel appreciated, valued and more. You'll see all the opportunities and potential that this world has. I'd love to help you find that. If you're interested, you can schedule a free consultation with me and we can get started on this process.
- Grace