Look Ahead in Your Job Hunt, Not Behind You

In a tough economy, I often hear job-seekers worry about “the competition” – with so many people looking for jobs, it’s harder to be the chosen one. I believe that your biggest competition is yourself—the fear that goes on inside your head, the lack of confidence that stops you from doing your best work — promoting yourself for the qualities you bring to the table.

Instead of focusing on what others can do, think about bringing your best self to every interview. What are the special skills and qualities you bring to a particular job, and do the people with whom you’d be working bring out those qualities with ease. Being hired for the right job at the right organization is a two-way street—it’s as much about how you feel about them as it is what they think about you. It’s really a matching process, not a selection process. And just like in love, there’s more than one right job out there for everyone—it’s a matter of finding your match.

To find your match, you need to show and prove your authentic, amazing self. The best way to do that is to figure out your brand, ensure that all of your marketing supports that brand and build your brand with the organizations and people you’ve identified as your best potential fit. From there, it’s about networking to the right person so you can show your stuff.

That’s all there is to it. Sounds straightforward, right? So stop worrying about “the other guy” and set your sights on the one you know.