Many people put themselves into a tiny box and only see what is in front of them.
How many college graduates feel doomed to a life of dead-end jobs.
However, after thoroughly analyzing your work history with friends and business acquaintances, you can begin to appreciate that your jobs have been full of unusual opportunities.
Look at the the fundamentals underlying your experience and realize you probably have gained an insight into problems that would be of value to other companies.
Lets take an example of a retail job in a clothing store. Serving customers seems to be what the job was about.
But I bet you learned the effect of advertising, merchandising, and counter display on the sales of high-grade merchandise.
Let’s take an example of working in a manufacturing plant. Many companies share their advertising with people working in the plant. Is it possible you have seen how advertising had greatly improved product sales?
After analyzing your experiences in this manner, you may realize that your work have exposed you to many different things.
In the two examples above, you may learn that value of effective marketing that went beyond the job titles of “clerk” or “merchandiser.” As a result, you can retell the story of your retail employment in a way that interested employers — better yet, may get you a a better, higher-paying job.
Here are two example key paragraphs from a winning cover letter, that applies this principle:
“During the past two and a half years I have been with a large food concern marketing a staple food product in a highly competitive field. At first, this was sold primarily on a price appeal. Then followed a comprehensive advertising and point of sale program designed to enable the retailer to maintain price and so increase profits. As a result, I have seen the sales curve of this company rise steadily.
“My particular job, which I sill hold, has been to contact several thousand dealers in Manhattan, put up display material, and establish good will by merchandising the consumer advertising and price policy.
“Prior to this I spent six months with Smith’s, where I observed how advertising and display, coupled with keen sales psychology, effectively moved quality merchandise ….”
Identify success stories from each of your past jobs that can help future employers? Note that verb — observed. Anyone can learn by watching, if they’re looking for lessons. What have you learned?
Now. This is where you need outside help.
Simply put, you WILL underestimate the value of your experience if you analyze it yourself — it’s like trying to describe the back of your head without a mirror.
Get a mirror, or, in this case, get a friend or three who will sit down over coffee and ask you about exactly what you’ve observed and what you’ve learned in every job you’ve held.
Then, write it all on paper, as specifically and extensively as possible.
When you do this, you’ll unearth hidden assets that can appeal to employers.
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This job hunting post was adapted from content provided to by my good friends Kevin Donlin and David Perry, co-creators of the Guerrilla Job Search System.
Finding a job is hard, most people don’t know how to do it, and the results are months of needless waiting.
I recommend that you check The Guerrilla Job Search System to get a job and stop waiting.
Click here to understand how the Guerrilla Job Search System can shorten your job search significantly.
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This is a very interesting post on people and there career growth.