Career Prep: Be intentional in your Job Search
How you approach your job search matters!
Now that you have updated your resume and have included the keywords to find the right role or job. Let's break down the job search and be intentional vs cast a wide net or hope the darts go and stick on the wall.
Setting the Intention
As I was reviewing job search plans with my mentees, one thing became evident. Few were hoping to find any job and some were thoughtful about the process - what role they are looking for, how can they find the right team culture and an industry or domain that they are excited about. Now the latter is job search done right.
In your resume summary, indicate the following to have clear focus on your ideal job. When you have set your intention, trust me the universe conspires. It's pure magic when things happen and they always do when you least expect it.
Job role - Product Marketing Manager or Sr. PMM or Director, Product Marketing. What is the next level you are seeking for?
Market segment - B2B or B2C. Are you interested and what has your prior experience been?
Industry - Technology, Education, Healthcare, Financial Services, Retail. Are there industries you are passionate about or ones you definitely don't want to work in?
Company maturity - Startup or Fortune500 large company. Are you interested in a startup environment where you get to learn, experiment and grow or prefer a large organization with defined role clarity?
Growth priority - Sales-led or Product-led growth. This is critical for finding the right balance on your day-to-day responsibilities. Are the company and team OKRs driven by short term sales metrics or long term product goals?
Culture - What is the team culture and is this aligned with environments where you thrive?
GROW and Personal OKRs
Less is More: Why GROW conversations and personal OKRs are critical for success. Let's connect on your life and career growth conversation!
Success is a loaded word. It can mean different things to different folks. I thought success was achieving the next goal I had set for myself. I was chasing the next dream every time, only to realize that success now has a new meaning.
Here is a job search template to get you started.
When I reflect on what helped me, two things come to mind: focus and focus.
Focus is not saying yes; it’s saying no to the hundreds of ideas. I am proud of everything we did and everything we didn’t do. - Steve Jobs
Job Description
Pay attention to what is and is not included in a job description. this can tell you a lot about the role. Most times, a job description is a catch all and doesn't really reflect the core values and role clarity.
This is where you can look for the right keywords. For example in product marketing, you will see keywords such as messaging, positioning, Go-to-market (GTM), persona, competitive and market intelligence, and sales enablement.
It helps to update your resume to include the keywords and refine your career experiences to reflect how your prior work experience is interconnected.
Build the value - this is how you find the right product market fit. The product here being you in the job search.
Cover Letter
Many mentees ask the question:
Do we still need to send a cover letter?
Do hiring managers read them?
I like to think that irrespective of whether they are reading them or not, it's a great way to show an extra effort. You have put in the time to create the cover letter. It helps to connect with the recruiter and hiring manager and show your passion and interest in the role.
Here are some cover letter samples to help in your job search.
Moonshot Goal Tracker
Discipline is key in your job search. You need to create the right process so that each day doesn't feel like a drag. Every step is crucial and tedious at times.
Let's be real - this is testing your patience and perseverance to the highest limits. It's defining how much you want the job. What are you willing to do to give it your all.
Every day is a new day. One job application at a time. Hit refresh and apply for the next job meticulously.
A moonshot goal tracker can help break the mountain into smaller chunks. This tracker that I learnt from the Fearless training program has become my life line anytime I need to put any mountainous task into bite sized work.
Writing down the intention clearly helps.
What is your moonshot goal?
Plan for the next 12 weeks. Break it into 4 week tasks and create a milestone and reward after 4 weeks. This helps to keep the morale and continue to keep the good work till you achieve your moonshot goal - to find and land your next career opportunity and job.
All the very best in your job search!