HBR - Finding a Job When You Don’t Know What You Want to Do Next

This is an article I wrote for Havard Business Review that provides a framework for early career professionals to use when approaching job hunting. I came up with the idea, write the piece in entirety, and create the charts.

***

Evaluate: What is the most and least important to you in your next role? Think about your previous jobs and internships as you consider this question.

Consider six factors: environment (what culture do you thrive in?), role (what kind of career growth are you looking for?), compensation (what’s your ideal range?), skill acquisition (do you want to specialize in a certain area?), career narrative (how does your resume position you?), on the horizon (what are some next steps?).

Engage: Start reaching out to people in your network. Discussions are a natural part of the job hunting process, but you want to segment the people you engage with into two categories: thought partners, or people who can weigh in on your thinking and path forward, and opportunity sourcers (people in your network that can help you identify open opportunities).

Execute: Work with your contacts to identify a few opportunities that are a good fit for you and the next stage of your career. Take another look at your evaluation criteria and determine how your job prospects stack up against each other. This should give you an idea of which to prioritize and apply to.