Are you searching for your next mid-management role but feeling a little intimidated? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many professionals feel intimidated and lack confidence when they’re looking for a new job, especially when they haven’t needed to update their resume in a while. The good news is that there are steps you can take to increase your job search confidence and improve your chances of landing the role you want. In this blog post, we’ll share some tips on how to do just that. Keep reading to learn more!

Know Where You Are Going

This may seem like an obvious starting point, but it is imperative you start building confidence in your job search here because without knowing what type of employment (industry, management role) you are pursuing there isn’t much hope for success. Don’t skip this step.

  • Due diligence starts by identifying target employers in industries of interest before starting your search.
  • Not all management roles are created equal. Some are people focused, some are process focused, and some are a blend of the two.

Know Your Value Offer

Does your resume clearly convey your unique value? The majority of the documents I review are backward focused —meaning they simply cover past tasks and responsibilities.

Take a look at your resume from the employer’s perspective. Does your document clearly convey the value you bring to the table? Have you summarized why the company should choose you vs. another candidate? Does your opening statement clearly communicate the benefit the company will receive by hiring you?

Your value proposition should highlight what makes you different form other candidates by focusing on how you’ve made a difference.

An old-school resume will say “Managed team members in supporting project goals.”

A value-rich resume will take a deeper dive and provide the reader with context + the outcome. “Enabled execution of projects, including delivering $52M+ in total-cost-of-ownership (TCO) savings by providing pivotal leadership for team of 15 globally dispersed employees.”

  • A value-rich resume provides the reader with context surrounding the challenges you faced along with the results you delivered —answering the employer’s questions, “why are you the candidate of choice? What makes you more qualified than another manager with similar experience.”

Maintain A Unified Message Across All Mediums

When you are trying to take the next step in your career, it is critical to your success to have a unified message across all of your career marketing documents (resume, cover letter, and professional biography) and your online presence (LinkedIn profile + other social media accounts).

  • Be aware. Employers are vetting candidates via social media (2015 info graphic stats) and the latest JobVite RecruiterNation survey revealing 93% of recruiters using or planning to use social media for hiring.
  • Perform an online search (using a different browser or clear your cache first), of every variation of your name to find out what an employer will see when they search for you.
  • Clean up any ‘red flags’ (profanity in posts, references to drug or alcohol use, sexual content, political references).
  • Take the steps necessary to align + optimize your online presence with your written message.
  • Check your privacy settings.

Bolstering your job search confidence + success, begins with knowing where you are going. Pinpoint your value offer and then make sure your message is consistent across all platforms. These 3 tips will help you stay on track and give you more focus when looking for a new opportunity.

Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry! Help is one email away and you can lean into our expert knowledge and experience to guide you through the development of your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, and professional biography.

Contact me today to get started!