Play the Match Game When Applying for Jobs

There are tons of employment options in the D.C. area, even in today’s fractured job market, but where are you putting your attention? Are you going for those that offer you the chance to do what you know best? Are you following a career path or just going for a “job” to earn a paycheck?

It’s easy to justify to yourself sending out hundreds of resumes, following every remotely possible opportunity. You are actively job hunting, right? Wrong. You are just doing stuff rather than focusing on jobs that truly suit your abilities and experience or that offer career growth. Going for jobs that are not right for you are a waste of time and energy, and if you do land a job for which you are not really qualified, you could be setting yourself up for failure.

Success is the goal. Finding a job that you may not like and may not really know how to do at any salary, for any employer, won’t get you there and may be short lived. Finding a position that allows you to shine while being paid a fair market rate (or better) to provide vital services to an employer is my definition of success and is most likely to lead to long-time employment.

Making the right match and focusing on a realistic target are game winning strategies.

Marketing Yourself for a Job—Gather Your Playing Cards

There are resources you should gather right away after a layoff. And, if you still have a job, make this a “just-in-case” preparation measure.

RESUME—Your resume is the most obvious resource, and it is one that should be addressed quickly and updated constantly, even when you are still employed. Seek out some expert advice on your resume content and format, and make sure it has not one single error in it.

SUCCESSES—Have you thought about your achievements, i.e. what you have done that you can call a success? Write up short success stories while you can still remember the details. Be sure to include data, if you can quantify your accomplishments. Being able to tell “your story” will come in handy in letters and interviews. Highlighting your achievements on your resume will draw attention to the value you offer.

KUDOS—Save any congratulatory messages or recognition that you may have received for successful projects or outcomes. Have them ready and at your fingertips when you write a cover letter or prepare for an interview.

AWARDS—Won any in recent years? If so, add them to your resume and your online profile.

PORTFOLIO—Depending on your career line, a portfolio may take different forms. In any case, it should be visual, showing documents, products or charts and graphs that showcase your skills and best efforts. You can post your portfolio on a personal website, but you should also have PDFs ready. (Recently, I saw a job announcement that specified “no links” for writing samples submitted with resumes.) In other words, keep your options open.

These resources will be covered in more detail in upcoming posts.

The First Taste

I pulled out our sharpest paring knife to make the incision in our first yellow cherry tomato (See the previous post for its portrait). This little guy was going to be shared by two eager, hungry, D.C. deck gardeners. We had already waited long enough.

Cut into two half moons, the succulent little yellow morsels went into our mouths simultaneously. Mmm. Mmm.

Another small success.

Between Successes

Nowadays I am taking life one step at a time. Fairly fresh from a layoff as a marketing director for a nonprofit association, I finally learned—the hard way—that life offers no guarantees and I am not indispensable. Jobs aren’t forever. Nothing is forever. And, while I was blindsided this time, I won’t be again.

Life is fluid, and it ebbs and flows like the stream that runs to the river near our neighborhood. As my sage older brother intones, “Life rushes by.” This maxim is his call to action, his way to viewing how he spends his discretionary time, and I’ve adopted it too.

Professionally, I’m “between successes,” but I like to think that each day will be a success in at least some small way. For instance, earlier this week I tripped in D.C. and nearly landed in the street on Connecticut Avenue, but I caught myself on the rim of a trash bin on the sidewalk and managed to avoid a disastrously twisted ankle. Now, is that a success? Well, it’s a small one.

I also met some very interesting people where I was heading before I almost fell. The morning event, which included a primer in getting a government job, turned out to be a rewarding experience overall. As a plus, I was able to help two fellow jobseekers that day with ideas and connections that were new to them, and I took my first baby step towards tackling the government job hunt process. All of that makes the day a success, in my book.