Do you want to find a job? Actually, what you are looking for is PAID WORK.
I want you to think about paid work. And, whether this work takes the form of a gig, job, role or project...it doesn't matter. What you want is income from paid work. Especially in the short term. Focus on PAID WORK.
No one really knows what the economy will look like after our "shelter in place" and business shutdowns. We do know that the economic landscape will look different after our national bout with the coronavirus. We just don't know HOW DIFFERENT. That will, in part, depend on how long this national shutdown continues.
We also know that...
Many people, millions of people, just like you, will need to find jobs.
That's why I say...
Forget traditional job hunting techniques. You'll just be competing with millions of other people for the same jobs. The competition will be brutal. And, it will take a long time to find that right position. (Plus...doesn't it make sense that a new economy will require new strategies, creativity, and brawn? Yes!)
Instead, set yourself apart from the competition and IMPROVE your chances of finding paid work. Ready? It is counter-intuitive and may run contrary to everything you've ever been told about jobs and the job market.
Don't start by looking into the job market to see what role you can fill.
Stop looking at online job sites.
Start with figuring out what you have to offer the marketplace.
Stop thinking about skills -- those things you were trained to do -- and start thinking about your TALENTS and the RESULTS you deliver.
You are going to want to CREATE WORK.
It's the FASTEST PATH to paid work.
The KEY to finding work quickly lies in your ability to answer these 3 QUESTIONS:
1) Who am I and what do I have to offer the marketplace?
Think of your talents, your gifts, and your abilities, all those things you do well and
that come naturally to you. Sometimes it's not WHAT you do but the WAY you do it. Think about your major accomplishments -- those things you've done that you are most proud of -- and figure out what enabled you to perform them. Do you see any patterns or themes?
You can add in your skills and experience and weave together what I call a "value proposition." Specifically and literally, how are you proposing to add value to a company, a team, an organization? What do you really have to offer and what makes you unique and different from everyone else?
For example, I had a client named Paul who was very good with logistics. And, he had this incredible ability to anticipate problems in the supply chain and he used his creative ability to solve the problems, and to implement the solution -- before others could even spot the problem. His superpower lay in his ability to scope out problems early on. What is your SUPERPOWER...that thing you do so naturally that it sets you apart from others?
2) What results do I bring and why does this matter?
What happens when you bring your SUPERPOWER -- your talents, gifts and abilities -- to work? What kind of impact do you have? How is it relevant? Think of your past. What contributions have you made? Where have you made a difference? What proof do you have that your SUPERPOWER is actually valuable? Make a case for where you have added
value in the past and quantify it. Think about how a future employer could benefit from what you do naturally well. If you can weave together your SUPERPOWER together with your skills and experience, you will come up with your "value proposition." or what you have of value to offer the marketplace. That's what you're going to sell. How you make a difference, what you have to offer that's valuable.
3) Who needs what I have? Who can I help?
This question is the most important. Once you have determined what you can do and where you can really make an impact, you’ll want to think about who you can help. Who needs what you’ve got? What kind of company, team, or industry will benefit from what you have to give?
When you have this figured out, reach out to them. Be proactive. Companies will need to rebuild, our nation will need to rebuild, our economy will need to be rebuilt. How can you make the maximum contribution to this effort? Because...remember...the greater the impact you make, the higher your paycheck should be.
If it's overwhelming to you to think about who might need what you have, think locally. There is so much rebuilding that will need to occur, you might find opportunities closer to home.
How did you do with these questions? Great! Now you are ready to go out into the
marketplace and make a case for who you are and what you have to offer. You are
going to become an advocate for your "value proposition." You are going to seek
out those who need what you have. And that, my friend, is how you create work!
BOTTOM-LINE: Create work...don't "find a job." You want work. The way it is packaged is irrelevant. Whether you find a gig, a project, a role, or a job doesn't matter. What matters is finding paid work.
PS. If you go through this article and work through all the questions I've posed; -- write down your answers, journal your ideas, take notes -- you'll be much closer to creating meaningful work that pays and makes a difference. Plus, it's the best way to beat your competition. Just try it. What do you have to lose?
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