The Best Way to Look For a Job Right Now

By Nezrul Hisyam Abdul Ghani

Before I dive right into the topic, allow me to share a brief background why I feel I am capable of addressing it. You better believe that subject like this is not taught in any school or college and only good experience can really put you through what it takes which I had a lot of these recent years.

First, I changed my job at the peak of my career success. I was a sales rep selling for a pharmaceutical company in the Hospital channel. I jump to another company which concentrates on the General Practitioner and retail market.

Next, I enrolled in the company 'voluntary separation scheme' in the beginning of 2007. The world was in the midst of economic turmoil and the company I represent was having a major worldwide issue with drug safety, and was taken off the market.

They have to downsize to match the production and revenue number. The sales force was included and I was included in it.

Then, I land a new job in a totally new field but still in the same industry; health care. This time, I got my hands on diagnostic sale which is a new territory to my knowledge and skills. It was rewarding nonetheless since I successfully bag most of the incentive payout even though I joined less than a year compared to some of my colleagues.

All in all, three jobs in a span of less than a decade. I know that some of you easily surpass me with the number but that is not the point. The point I am trying to hit home is; I land on the right job at the right time.

And I got paid handsomely every time too, which brings me to the crux of the matter at hand and that is; the best strategy to get that job you deserved is to scout within your community.

That means you start within your industry and expertise, and if needs be, you expand from there. For example, you are a sales person. You know how to sell which is true in my case. So when I planned to make a career switch, the first place I look is within my industry which offers relevant opportunity.

That is how I land on sales job in pharmaceutical and health care industry every time.

But if that does not work, the next best choice is to look for opportunity that matches your competency, like sales and marketing, in my example. Even though I jump into a new company that position itself in the diagnostic area, the skills needed to sell and market are essentially the same.

Have you identified your present industry and your skills that match to it? Can you spot any other opportunity elsewhere that requires what you currently have?

job, jobs, career