Posted in Career Advice on November 7, 2007 at 11:47 am
In his new book, Courting Your Career, Shawn Graham uses dating advice as a metaphor to demystify the job search. Today, he helps college students and young professionals answer the question, “What’s your type?”
Short or tall? Extrovert or introvert? For some, physical attraction is at the top of the list. For others, there’s no substitute for a deep intellectual connection. I think it’s safe to say that most of us have a pretty good idea of our “type” in the romance department, but struggle mightily when it comes to knowing what we’re looking for in a job.
As you consider different opportunities, ask yourself how important the following characteristics are to you.
Prestige: Like physical attraction, prestige of a company is often the first thing that piques our interest. Early in your career, having the name of a well-known company on your resume can pay huge dividends. But a great name won’t mean much if you don’t get great experience. Focus as much on what you’ll be doing as where you’ll be doing it.
Culture: Think of this as the personality of an organization. I think we’ve all had a friend who dated someone who looked great on the outside but was a little lacking in the personality department. To keep this from happening during the interview process, ask yourself “Did I get along with the people I interviewed with?”
Job content: Arguably, this is the most important factor. Once you get past the prestige or physical attraction, you want to have a job or a mate that challenges you mentally and helps you grow. Focus on positions that will give you the skills and experience you’ll need to make your next career move.
Location: This is often the #1 factor for job seekers. Even though it’s a great job that happens to be in Minnesota, they’d rather pass for something in a different city with milder winters. Yet, we wouldn’t use that kind of rationale when dating. I know gas prices are high, but would we settle for a soul mate because the person lived a block from our house?
Knowing what you’re looking for in a job, a company and a career is a must. Before you submit another application, take the time to identify your job “type.” Good luck!
Shawn Graham is author of Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job and works as an Associate Director with the MBA Career Management Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
free online dating
The typical process of online dating is to register, look around for a potential match, and then register in hopes of meeting singles in your area. This is always a good thing to do but why not be able to take it to another level. What if you knew the …
[...] Thanks to Rachel Zupek for including my comments in her article on MSN Careers today, “12 Things to Ponder before Taking Your First Job.” The article also features tips from career experts who have been featured on this blog–Kristen Fischer and Shawn Graham. [...]
[...] Click here for a preview of tips from Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job. [...]