country, industry, position, organization?
RESEARCH. PREPARATION. CONFIDENCE.
As I have started my pursuit of employment in a new country, I have been told several times by companies, recruiters and colleagues that I will have a tough time finding work because I do not have any experience in the AsiaPac market. Hmmm, considering the extraordinary number of expat business people in the region, I find this quite amusing - and of course, an immediate challenge.
I am sure that most of the top performers that companies have spent multiples of salary to relocate to the region have had little experience in the market as well. (Including the expat potential employers who are sitting across the table from me giving me this advice!) What these expats do bring is expertise in their field and the ability to affect change through a new lens.
Now what I have to do, as a prospect, is find ways to connect my depth of experience to the positions at hand. I need to figure out the objections to my lack of market knowledge before they arise. No different than selling a product - just this time, the product is me! And this applies to any job, company, industry, market, etc.
1. Do your research. If you want it bad enough, you will make the time to figure things out. In my case, this means a lot of time on the computer figuring out the leading influencers and information resources in the area. Marketing associations, IT publications, business think tanks and credible news sources. Knowing the top 5 trends, figuring out the current newsworthy story, and understanding the players will go a lot further than just surfing the companies website.
2. Preparation. Today, I spent the morning going line by line through a job posting. I listed out my qualitative and quantitative attributes to support my fit for the role. I have my working examples, references and sample work all ready. I have listed out the negatives, where I have gaps (I definitely don't speak Mandarin so that is not an asset for me!) but also how I will overcome the gaps or how I will work around them. I have noted questions on requirements that I don't understand. I feel prepared for my interview and also confident that so far, on paper, I am a great fit for the role.
3. Confidence. My absolutely best asset. One of my most enlightening moments of my career was when I realized that I don't have to be anyone but myself. In an interview, a business meeting, as a manager or at home. Just me. With all of the good, the bad and the interesting - that's what I bring to the table. And the reality is that there is a job out there that fits me. It will have some good, some bad and it will be interesting - to me. If I am trying too hard to fit into a job or convince a potential boss to hire me - it probably isn't the right job for me. When it fits in an interview - it will fit on the job and I will be fulfilled at work and feel right in my own skin because I am not trying to be someone I am not.
If you are looking for (or have found) a new job, a new company, a new market - let me know how you were successful.
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