The purpose of this blog entry is to give job-seekers the opportunity to learn skills of “thriving,” instead of simply surviving. Anyone can get a job, but how many actually excel within their role? As a job-seeker, your interest at heart should be to not only “find a job,” but further establish your career. Every day, we come across applicants or prospects that only think about the task at hand (a job) and do not analyze the situation in its entirety (a career).

Before jumping on the career boards and search engines, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Which values are most important to you right now?

Are you interested in this role for career advancement, or are there financial obligations that have played a role in your decision-making? When these two major concerns are not parallel with one another, the candidate must decide which of them is more important to her current circumstance. Since this could possibly be a make-or-break decision, take your time and carefully examine your options.

2. What experience or opportunity is missing in your current work?

If your position at your current employer isn’t stimulating enough, how can you be so sure that a similar job description at a prospective employer will be? Maybe you should examine both employers’ company culture, successes, and online reviews. Find out what this company can potentially offer that your current place of employment can’t and don’t.

3. What kind of opportunity will allow you to do your best work?

In many cases, the same role in a different industry can make all the difference to a professional. A difference is so great that job satisfaction, growth potential, and better work performance are most times the result of it.

If you’d like to maximize your time and resources during the period of your job search, answer these three questions and come to a conclusion. These are questions that need to be asked by the prospect BEFORE entering your dreadful job search.

For more job-seeking advice, please visit our blog. We also have a Job Search page that makes it easy to apply for open positions. Feel free to contact us if you need additional help!