Get The Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring: Take Charge of Your Career, Find a Job You Love, and Earn What You Deserve

Chapter 28. The Employer Wish List Strategy

The time has come to create a wish list of adjectives that describe your ideal employer, such as size, location, industry, culture, values, environment, people, revenue, etc. When no one's hiring, you may be tempted to shorten this process down to "my wish list is for an employer who gives out paychecks," but you would be shortchanging yourself in a big way. Let me state again that in tough economic times, it pays to be laser-focused on exactly what you're after. Don't hold back! This is your fantasy, so list what you would really love in the next company you work for.

Note

In tough economic times, it pays to be laser-focused on exactly what you're after.

If you don't know what you want most in an employer, how will you know when you've found the right one? Or, as the TV personality Dr. Phil McGraw is fond of saying: "You've got to name it before you can claim it!"

Here is one example of an Employer Wish List, which was completed by one of my clients:

Example: Employer Wish List

Physical

• Downtown location, or less than 30 minutes commute via train

• 50 to 100 employees

• Upscale physical environment

• U.S. company with international operations, customers, or sales

• Headquarters office of corporation

Intellectual

• Good three-year plan with strategic growth as primary driver

• Solid financial skills common at top management level

• Solid strategic skills common at top management level

Performance

• Revenues of $2.5M to $5M

• Growing in revenues

• Ranked top five in industry ...