new frame: application

This week's hunt has felt radically different than the previous weeks. I feel less like a corporate misfit in the wrong century and more like a person with a definite skill set that has a lot to offer the right organization. I had that phone interview earlier this week that would have sent me into this introspective tailspin in previous weeks, but this week, I could say it was a terrible fit. I'm not who they're looking for and vice versa.

My skills and education are valuable, but I have to be willing to take the time to find the correct place. I also have to be willing to do the research and the work to translate/interpret my work experience into terms valuable to an employer. Both my siblings are in marketing, so I think I have potential to make it happen. The practical working out of this realization has been time.

I'm applying this new found self-knowledge to work in what I'm looking for. If the job seems a reasonable, I then read up on the qualifications and the job description, taking notes of word-choice and what they're really looking for. I then write a cover letter mirroring their language and rewrite my resume in the same manner. It's not that I'm changing any of the experience; I'm interpreting it so that they can perceive the relevance. For instance, teaching demonstrates a lot of skills: leadership, communication skills, organization, creativity, problem-solving, meeting goals, etc. I now decide which aspect to highlight according to what they need.

The past two jobs I've applied to have taken around four hours to apply with the new process. Hopefully, I'll get faster. But, I rationalize it by: a) I'm unemployed and have the time, b) my odds of hearing back from these people are vastly increased, c) I'm laying the groundwork for future applications. I'm going to have a lot of cover letters and resumes with the information I'll need to quickly translate. I'm creating a bank of skills and experience for hopefully fairly similar jobs.

I'm far less frustrated with this line of attack... at this point. Every application doesn't feel like a Hail Mary. I no longer feel like I'm begging for a favor. Rather, I am finding the right place to use my skills and be myself.