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Regret for time wasted can become a power for good in
time that remains. We often in hindsight, look so long and so regretfully upon
closed doors that we don’t see
one which has opened for us. Use these ten tips to anticipate and plan your next job search move. Your foresight here will convert regrets, disappointments and fears into much needed fuel to strengthen your chances to reach your next career destination faster:
1. Develop a sense of urgency to move fast on opportunities. Measure
value of everything you do against
results you expect.
2. Recognize and exploit cycles and trends in your industry.
3. Update your knowledge continually through coursework, news and blog reading, and active participation in trade association activities.
4. Segment your targeted employers and focus on those who can benefit
most, immediately, from what you are selling.
5. Anticipate how you can differentiate your product (you) from every other similar product (your competition) in
marketplace.
6. Analyze your competition thoroughly through strategic market research; be clear about where you’re strong and they’re weak.
7. Make a list of all
reasons why an employer should hire you. Translate them into personalized solutions, organize them by priority and memorize.
8. Identify
primary objections to why an employer might not hire you and then develop bulletproof answers to those objections. 9. Refuse to let
fear of rejection hold you back. Don’t take rejection personally.
10. Never forget that whatever got you to where you are today is not enough to keep you there.
Hot career advice: Don’t let other job seekers gain tactical advantage because your paralysis of analysis or inertia derailed momentum. Anything less than total commitment to excellence becomes acceptance of mediocrity. Use career campaign foresight to continually deal with and calculate your future. By doing so you’ll fast forward to your next career pit stop and avoid most job hunting potholes and roadblocks. Remember: It’s not about where you’ve been. It’s about where you’re headed. Be alert. Look ahead.

Marta L. Driesslein is a senior management consultant for R.L. Stevens & Associates Inc. (www.interviewing.com), a career marketing firm and organization celebrating over 24 years of providing strategic marketing solutions for its clients’ career transitioning needs. Email inquiries and comments to publicrelations@rlstevens.com.