I had an epiphany with a client the other day. He is a talented fellow doing very well in his career. He is working with The Interview Doctor to prepare for promotion. As we worked through his issues and concerns, it occurred to me that preparing for career advancement requires the same steps as someone looking for a new job. I never looked at it that way!
You might be thinking “huh?” But stay with me on this. This fellow, we will call him Bill, is a manager (substitute your own title). He thinks he should be the VP (substitute your own goal). He thinks about it all the time. It annoys him that other people are in competition with him for that role.
It surprised me that the process in this coaching session was so similar to the process I use coaching someone changing jobs or out of work. Odd, isn’t it?
I started by having Bill outline the top three or four requirements for his target job. Then we talked about how he could demonstrate to the business leaders that he could do that job. Talk is cheap. Bill’s actions will better demonstrate that he has the skills, vision, and leadership to be successful in his target job goal.
This is very similar to a job hunt. Job seekers must first identify the target. What is the specific job you want? What are the several skills and requirements needed to be successful in that job? How can you demonstrate to people you talk to that you have those skills, vision, and leadership to be successful?
In each case, Bill and a general job seeker are both creating a personal Job Search Marketing Plan. Cool, huh? If they work the plan they will increase the chances that they get what they want.