How to grab the best job and leave low-hanging fruit
When I think of low-hanging fruit, I always think of apples. Low-hanging fruit was always discouraged because the low ones often are bruised or damaged by bugs and less likely to be ripe. Higher fruit is often riper. Today I want you to think about jobs.
Job seekers often seek the low-hanging fruit. They go after the most visible sources for jobs and fail to recognize that there are better alternatives if they would only reach higher.
How you might be only reaching for low-hanging fruit
Recognize job boards are filled with low-hanging fruit. I hear job seekers tell me (and each other) that there are no jobs. The reality is that there are many more jobs available if you spent a little time researching and stopped looking only for the low-hanging ones.
How to find the elusive jobs?
Reach higher. What does that mean?
- Target the jobs that you want
- Focus on the company you desire
- Find the connections to get in the door
Talk to people in the industry.
Learn what companies are the best for the job you want. Today you have Google to drive your search. Use it to find the right companies. Don’t worry if the job isn’t advertised. Think about how you can connect with someone at the company to learn more.
LinkedIn is an amazing resource that most people don’t know how to use. Once your Google research identified companies that do the kind of work that you want to do, use LinkedIn to find out who you know.
Go to the company LinkedIn page. Find the people who work for the company on the upper right hand side. Click on the How You’re Connected and see all link to list everyone on LinkedIn in the company. I recommend LinkedIn premium because you can search better.
After you select the function for the job (found on the left side), look at people to find connection to people you know. Most people worry about their own first level connections. You care more about the second level connections. Who do you know connected to people you want to speak to and how good is that connection? This isn’t low-hanging fruit and it will take longer but if you research, think, and then take action, you are more likely to find the job you really want.
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