New tools in technology and market research are making job searches more complicated. Executives today are struggling with how to present their information to stand out in today’s challenging marketplace. Your ability to present your gifts, talents and expertise requires that you tune in to your intuition to shine as the best candidate.
The prime variable in highly competitive searches is the creativity you bring to your cover letter. One client who worked in an HR Director capacity showed me a cover letter which conveyed the same message many other candidates would. I challenged her to reach for a more inspirational tone by imaging the style of Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, to describe herself to a potential employer.
This subtle shift released a flow of creativity that resulted in a new draft being done in a matter of minutes. A person with initiative can become more creative by simply looking to others they admire for inspiration.
In the book, Transformational Speaking by Gail Larsen, one of the key ways to achieve star quality is by a shift in pacing to wake people up. This can be accomplished verbally and non-verbally, as my client did with her letter. The “verbal punch” you present can mean the difference between landing an interview spot so you will stand the best chance of winning that coveted position.
Older job candidates also face the challenge of being flexible. As we brainstormed possibilities, my client was open to interviewing for a part-time position recommended by a respected colleague.
Taking the part-time position may not be necessary though, because my client’s cover letter and resume resulted in her triumphing over a large number of candidates to earn a crucial seat at the interview table. I’ll keep you posted on the progress of her three -month job search.
As the output of technology and the interactions of communications get speeded up, job candidates run the risk of presenting the same message again and again, resonating the energy of who we think we are and not opening ourselves up to our intuition to expand.