3 Common Traps to Avoid When Looking for a New Job
The Show Notes
Having the guts to strike out and start looking for a new job is a huge step. The job search is a process and it can take a lot of twists and turns. But there are three common traps you can fall into if you’re not careful. If you know to look out for them, you’ll be able to avoid more speed bumps and find your next job much faster!
1 - Believing You Can’t Apply Until….
To begin, a lot of teachers who are looking for a new career struggle with imposter syndrome. It’s difficult to feel confident you could easily jump into a role you’ve never done before, but teachers have so many transferable skills. It’s just a matter of terminology.
Many times teachers put limits on themselves saying I can’t apply until I am proficient in these skills or have a portfolio that demonstrates all these skills. You also don’t need to wait to apply to jobs if they don’t have the ideal role with ideal pay to match. Just apply and then see what happens.
2 - Focusing on Too Narrow of a Job Niche
Next, many times it’s easy to limit yourself to a certain type of opportunity. Since every job is new to you, it’s very difficult to know from a one-paragraph description everything one job will entail.
In many cases, teachers may not have had the opportunity to showcase certain talents because they haven’t been required as often in your role as a teacher. The only way you can confidently know you enjoy a certain role is to try it on.
With any position you take on, you are going to sharpen your skills and become more aware of your interests. So while your first job beyond the classroom is not your dream job, it gives you the ability to be paid as you uplevel your skills and find more clarity.
3 - Being the First One to Disqualify Yourself
Lastly, I want to share a little insider information from the hiring side of things. Many times it is near impossible to meet all the requirements listed in a job description. So even if you meet most of them, take a chance and apply!
It may be that in the end, you aren’t qualified. But here’s a question – what if you turned out to be the most qualified person they interviewed? Additionally, passion and a willingness to learn, make up for missing qualifications any day. If you can show that you are a self-directed learner and excited about the content, you can stand out easily among other applicants!
Which one of these is the trap you are most likely to fall into?
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