Pink Slip Preparation: Browse Jobs Now For An Exciting New Job In The Future

Does anyone actually use the term “pink slink” anymore? Becasue I am bringing it back

Pink Slip Preparation series is for those that know a layoff is looming or are just feeling general anxiety about the job market and would like to stay in control of their future. Check out this series for tips on being well prepared if you end up needing to re-enter the job market unexpectedly.

Did you notice that the title was “Browse” and not “Apply”? That was deliberate. The difference in preparing for a layoff as opposed to being laid off is that you have some time to get your ducks in a row. Applying for jobs and putting in the effort to tailor each resume you send to the job in question is very taxing even for those seriously on the job hunt. That is not what we are wanting to accomplish here. Here we are getting a better understanding of the job market at large and how your skills and current role fit into it.

When is the last time you were in the market for a new job? Last year? 5 years? 10+ years? For those of you who have done it in recent memory there may not be much to shock you about the current hellish LinkedIn and AI resume checking landscape. But for those of you who haven’t, you may be shocked about not only the methods needed to get jobs today but also the skills. Below are some steps to take to help you understand what will be required to nail the resume and get an interview for a job you would love to transition into.

1. What do you want to do?

2. Review job postings of the jobs you listed and look at the requirements. How much experience does the company want? What software should you know? What certifications do you need?

3. What are the requirements you lack and how can you upskill them?

4. Pretend to apply for a job you like. Does it require a cover letter? Does it want you to link GitHub to the application?

5. Check the Glassdoor company overview for the application steps of a job you like. How many rounds of interviews is it? Is there a personality test? Do you have to pass an exam? What were some of the interview questions given?

1. What do you want to do?

   
   

Such a simple question that can have a super complicated answer for someone who is dissatisfied with their current career. Do you love what you do but hate the company you work for? Or do you have awesome coworkers and management but the job is still not fulfilling? Maybe you are worried about the coming dependence of AI in your role and want to make a career pivot for something less affected by changing technology.

Having the security of a job right now allows you to ask yourself what you really want to be striving toward as opposed to making a more panicked decision based on what is available to you. This will also lay the groundwork of preparatory steps you will need to take to find a job and company that is right for you.

This might also be a great time to take a personality assessment or review the career earnings of the field you are currently in. Does it match with what you do well? Does this career have long-term earning potential and a well-defined career path?

Make a list of possible job options and their titles that you would like to explore. Jobs can have very different names depending on the company so look through many titles and their descriptions to get an idea of the type of roles that you are wanting to pursue.

2. Review job postings of the jobs you listed and look at the requirements. How much experience does the company want? What software should you know? What certifications do you need?

If you are lucky, you already have all of the experience and credentials the roles you want would require. But for many of us (especially those who have spent a long time with one company) we may find that we have severely fallen behind on certain software and certification knowledge that has become industry standard. I remember working as a data analyst with SQL and trying to find a new company with my skills, only to be met with constant Python and R requirements for coding. I was not prepared!

Make a list of the common requirements around the jobs that you are wanting to transition to and create a list of steps you would need to accomplish learning these skills. Also review any certifications that are required and the institutes that offer these certifications.

3. What are the requirements you lack and how can you upskill them?

Now you know what you need to add to your resume, but how do you go about doing it? If it’s experience that you are lacking that might be a little tricky to come by on your own. If the career path that you want to move into is tangentially related to what you do now, see if there is a project that you can take part in with another team that will give you that experience. Otherwise you may be looking at taken a lower-level job than your current one in order to gain the experience needed to grow in a new career.

If it’s a skill-based deficiency it will be much simpler in process but time consuming. If you are wanting to learn a different coding language for example, sign up for an Udemy course that offers that knowledge and complete the training. Always check if there are potential certifications that you can acquire after completing training to prove that you have mastered the skill even though it was not a part of your job.

For certifications, start looking into exam prep courses or what the other minimum requirements are that you would need to complete. Some other requirements Remember that not all certifications are created equal. A great tool is the Credential Value Index Navigator to see which credentials you can acquire that will bring you success in the job hunt. Not only does the credential matter, but what institute you receive it form can be just as important.

4. Pretend to apply for a job you like. Does it require a cover letter? Does it want you to link your GitHub to the application?

   
   

There is a wide variance in what companies will require for the initial application step but it’s good to get a general idea of what companies will require. If you are applying for a more technical role you may be required to show your previous coding work to show your skills to the HR team. While most companies don’t require cover letters it will probably be listed as an option in most cases. (I recommend writing one for jobs you are excited about when you get there).

5. Check the Glassdoor company overview for the application steps of a job you like. How many rounds of interviews is it? Is there a personality test? Do you have to pass an exam? What were some of the interview questions given?

   
   

While this is super helpful for someone actively job hunting, this can be a huge source of information for those just job browsing as well. For the specific job title you are looking for, see if you notice a pattern amongst the companies hiring for that role. Is there always an exam to check your knowledge? Do they usually have multiple rounds of interviews? Is there a certain off-ball question that gets asked frequently that you should know?

If you look through the interview steps for a company and feel that you would be well prepared for the steps in the process then that is a good indicator you have the experience and skills necessary to get the job if interviewed. If the interview requirements leave you a little uncertain that you would do well, take the time to review the gaps in your learning and bring those up to speed.

These steps above aren’t just for dreaming about what could be. Did you see a job that you would love to do? Let this be the motivation you need to start working toward a different and fulfilling career path.