Your future job

 
 

My goal for this email is to try to give people concrete tips on their job search. It can be tough out there. From our last survey results, I know that people get ghosted and want more feedback.

After I sent out the previous Get Hired, people seemed to appreciate the discussion around shifting how we think about job search milestones. Sometimes we get in a rut by concentrating on one thing. I want to give you practical tips to help your search because it’s hard to get those during the actual job search process.

This week’s concrete tips are about shifting your mindset around your career. I know from my conversations with people on the job hunt, people often want to lead with passion. They apply for jobs where the organization is doing important work. Of course we do this! It is important to feel like we are making an impact. That’s why I got into this work and it’s probably why you are interested in the jobs that NRG hires for.

You can also think about the impact you have over an entire career, not just at one job. When you think of building a career, and a skill set, sometimes the results might surprise you. Here are a few things to consider:

 
 

Check your goals.

Especially when early in your career, it may be hard to get your ideal job right away. Make sure that your job search goals line up with your career stage. Often, we need to spend a few years gathering skills and experiences before we can truly make the impact we desire.

If you are new-ish to your career and read a description of your dream job but the pre-reqs are not in alignment with your experience, you can use that job as a guide. For example, if you know you want to lead an organization one day but have only worked in operations: what other skills do job descriptions say that you need for the job you want in the future? If the job descriptions say you need fundraising skills, maybe it’s time to look for jobs that can help you gain that experience.

 

Ask: What experiences do you need to land this job one day?

What jobs are available right now that would help prepare you for this job in 5 or 10 years?

 
 

This isn’t meant to discourage you from applying for roles you are interested in! However, if you keep applying for jobs at one level and it’s not working out, maybe switch your mindset. Can you think about your career and your impact as a long term goal?

It can be oh so challenging to figure this out on your own. Every person’s situation is unique. When in doubt, consult friends, mentors, or maybe a coach.

Switching careers is tricky.

You may be saying, “But Naomi, I’m not early in my career. I’ve been working forever but my values have changed. I’m coming from the corporate world and now I want to work for an organization that does work that matters.” I hear you.

The challenging aspect of this is that many of our clients want to hire people who have done the exact job before. If you are coming from a different field, making the case for transferable skills is definitely possible but can be tricky.

If you are switching careers, you may want to check out these tips on switching careers. One rule of thumb that echoes the last edition of Get Hired is to focus on your LinkedIn network. When you have people advocating for you, it can be easier to make the case for your transferable skills.

Stay connected to your goals.

We don’t always end up with a job we love. Maybe you took a job and then realized it was not what you expected but you have decided to stay because you are learning a lot or your financial situation doesn’t allow you to change right now. Or, maybe you decided to take a role that didn’t seem exciting but you are gaining important skills and your boss has become a real mentor. Perhaps you are just casually looking for your next job right now but you know you will need to leave at some point.

Whatever the reason you are in a job that isn’t where you want to be, stay connected to your future job. Find ways in your current job to gain the skills you need to land that job you really want next time. Talk to your manager about your career goals and see if there is wiggle room in your job duties. Maybe, just maybe, you can let go of something in your job in order to learn new things and gain experience in an area that will get you to that future job you really want.

Stay connected to your future job especially when you have hard days. Keep a physical reminder of your goal around. Maybe you physically print out the job description of the role you want one day or maybe you just save it on your desktop in a visible place so that you have that reminder.

 
 
 

Try to think of your career as something that you are building piece by piece. The impact you truly desire to make may not come when you think you are ready for it. It’s okay to disagree with that timing and be disappointed. But don’t give up. Keep working toward your future job and build a career that cumulatively makes a greater impact than any one job ever could.

I’ve mentioned it before, but if you have resources to throw at this, my colleague Kristin Saybe is getting rave reviews and helping people to better represent their potential.

If you want just one tip that surpasses all the others, here you go:

 
 
 
 
 
 

TWO FREE WEBINARS

Switching careers is tricky but also is finding a job that is meaningful to you at any stage of your career. For those of you who are looking for roles with political organizations or nonprofits, we have a free webinar for you:

NRG Career Coach, Kristin Saybe, will offer practical tips on how to get a job in the movement space as well as answer specific questions you submit in advance. 

WHEN: March 27 from 2pm-2:45pm ET

This webinar is free and space is limited. Register today.

I know there are some teachers out there who may feel like this topic of switching careers speaks directly to them. On Tuesday, April 9th, my colleague, Arianna Haut, is hosting a webinar for teachers looking to leave the classroom. Join us and we’ll give some insight on how to make that transition.

WHEN: April 9th from 7pm-7:45pm ET

 
 

On to the jobs! Check out all of NRG’s searches here. Twenty-three of those positions are remote.

Opportunities NRG is hiring for:

Opportunity NRG is hiring for in education:

Follow NRG on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on all of the roles we are hiring for.

Let’s move,

Naomi

P.S.  If you’d like a thought partner to think through your networking strategy or just want some external feedback on your resume and interview chops, sign up right now for 15 minutes with Kristin Saybe to learn how NRG’s coaching programs can help you.

If you find this newsletter helpful, forward it to your friends and help us build our network! If you received this from a friend, sign up here to receive future “Get Hired'' newsletters. 

 
Job search tipsNaomi Roth-Gaudette