Never Click “Apply” Again

Whether you’re transitioning laterally, looking for a promotion, or changing companies or industries, a lot of work goes into getting a job.  If you’re clicking ‘apply’ without taking the necessary steps to ensure you land an interview, you may be wasting time better spent on other efforts. Here are some steps to ensure you never click ‘apply’ again.

REVIEW YOUR PERFORMANCE

When you transition to a new role, you’ll want to take stock of your transferrable skills - those skills which you’ve excelled at in the past which will help you make an impact in the role you’re seeking. Take stock of the experiences you most enjoyed, and seek out a role which provides you the opportunity to showcase your strengths and gain fulfillment from your work.

FILL IN THE GAPS

If you have a specific role in mind (and you should), identify the gaps between your experience, education, skills, or certification, and the requirements of your future role. Talk to professionals who currently work in that role and find out which few things you should prioritize. What software is being used by folks in that role? What got you to where you are may not be what gets you to where you are going, so be willing to learn and grow into this new role.

RESEARCH

Make sure you do your research, especially if moving to a new company or industry. Talking to others is a great place to start, but other sources may help you decide whether a role is right for you. Look at the public releases a company is sharing, is your desired role highlighted in those releases? If so, you’ll want to speak to how you’ll make an impact to what matters most. Take a look at the most recent 10k, 8Q, and/or other financial releases which can provide you insight into how the company is performing, where it is headed, and what it is focused on. You’ll want to learn how your future role can have an impact.

NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK

It’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know… and how they remember you. If you’re known as a proven performer, SME, or a great leader, you’ll want to connect with people who know you as such. Nurture the relationships within your network. Working with someone 5 years ago is not enough. If you made a positive impact on someone, keep in touch with them, find out how they’re progressing, keep them informed of your accomplishments, and let them know about your future goals. If you don’t nurture the relationship, you’re going to receive a ‘good luck with that’ when you finally do reach out. 

It can’t be understated: networking is how you land the interview. Learn to tell your story, and who to tell your story to. Once the right person, who has a need on their team, hears your story, your interview should be secured. Tighten up that elevator pitch, and be able to communicate your value to others.

REFINE YOUR RESUME

Notice how this is last. It’s last because you got the interview through your network. At this point, you’re just using all the energy you put in so far, and translating to an updated version of your work experience targeted at the requirements and responsibilities of the new role. 

PREPARE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW

Remember step 1? Pull out the experiences, skills, and strengths which showcase your ability to perform in this new role. Examine the possible questions you may be asked. Develop the stories which draw upon your past to demonstrate your future potential. Have a strategy to focus the interview on your future impact in that role. Have meaningful questions prepared for the interviewer which demonstrate your knowledge of the company, and the role. 

Then relax. Know that you’ve done what you can to prepare. Be confident knowing that your preparation will lead to a successful outcome.

Hoping and praying on the ‘apply’ button, is not effective. If you follow the steps above, you’ll have a better understanding of the demands of your future role. You’ll know if it’s the right fit for your long-term career goals. You’ll know how you will be able to meet the needs of the future role, and how your strengths will be utilized. And, most of all, you’ll be prepared to deliver a great interview, and receive an offer. 

Each of these steps will be the focus of future releases, so be on the lookout for a deeper dive into these important steps. 

Mission & Purpose

We often hear transition described as challenging, difficult, hard, and many other negative words which intensify the sense of fear of the unknown. People all experience some degree of fear as we face a new challenge; the thought of uncertainty can be rather daunting. Nevertheless, skill, preparation, and application of the many lessons learned from one’s time in service, will allow for a smooth transition and soft landing into a rewarding and fulfilling career.

Military veterans are highly capable individuals who possess a wide array of skills and experiences that enable them to overcome the challenges of a career transition. Yet, we see and hear about the staggering statistics of veteran unemployment, homelessness, and suicide.  

Any successful transition begins with realizing military service has a finite timeframe (whether four or forty years of service). It will end, and one’s transition will require focused preparation. This realization should lead to identifying foundational principles and values - unique to the individual - succeeded by discerning a personal mission statement.

Here are three steps to help draft a mission statement:

First, list at least three things that you want most out of life.  Highlight what you really want personally and emotionally. Let your vision of a personal legacy become the driving factor in this step. 

Second list at least three things you would like to experience or accomplish in your lifetime - think personal and career ambitions.

Third list at least three things you believe make you unique. 

Some of the outputs of this self-assessment exercise can be a better understanding of the strengths you will apply to work each day, an appreciation of the gifts in your life you can share and inspire others with, and/or the formation of a “living” mission statement. A “living” mission statement is one that evolves over time, and which you revisit regularly to help focus your drive for doing what is most important to you.

Consistency is key here, employing one of the decision-making processes we are exposed to in service will facilitate you staying focus. Observing, Orienting, Deciding and taking ACTION (OODA) is one that comes to mind because it allows for your orientation to change over time as you progress in life.  

Understanding what drives you and inspires you, while ensuring organizational values align with your personal ones, will help you find fulfillment in your post-military career.

STAR format: The “A” matters

“Tell me about a time when you achieved results which surpassed expectations” is a something you should be prepared for an interviewer to say when pursuing your next role. When providing answers to interview questions, the S.T.A.R. format is a general guideline for responses which highlight your abilities. Most professionals agree on Situation, Task, and Response, but whether “A” stands for Approach or Action is up for debate. Which you use may vary based on the role you are applying to.

When applying for an individual contributor role — one without a direct managerial requirement — Action should be your focus. Hiring managers want to know what steps you took in a certain established process. For example, if applying to a sales position, you would want to focus on the steps you took in the client generation process which led to great results. The same is true for many other roles where established steps are taken across industries to solve problems. Software engineers, mechanics, and photographers all have similar processes which may be the same or similar no matter the industry.

Be aware that the opposite is also true! The specific company you are applying to may have a proprietary approach which differs from industry standards. You’ll want to research that beforehand, and demonstrate that you have experience, or are at least familiar with, their approach.

For managerial roles where you’ll have direct reports, be prepared to demonstrate a consistent approach to tackling tough issues. This approach should include how you collect data, consult with others, make decisions, and communicate. You’ll be demonstrating your leadership in these responses, so take stock of your personal leadership style as part of your interview preparation.

Organizations look for managers with specific leadership styles which match the culture they embrace. Do your homework, and seek out organizations which demonstrate alignment with the leadership style you’ll bring to work each day. Not doing so, can quickly lead to cultural mismatch.

It’s important to note that neither Approach nor Action is an all-or-none format. When applying to managerial roles, you’ll want to speak to specific actions you took, and speaking to your approach benefits those looking for an individual contributor role as well. It’s about the emphasis you place on either format, and the importance a hiring manager will place on the feedback you provide.