You’ve found your WHY; now find your WHO
In the wonderful world of marketing where I currently reside, I have written many pieces advising business start-ups on how to put together a business plan and what they need to do before they start selling to the public. The first two steps always involve research that answers the question:
a) is there a market for their product/service?
b) how best to attract customers to your door?
What has that got to do with “finding your who”, I hear you say. Well, when I was doing the research for this month’s blog, it occurred to me that finding your perfect job is pretty much the same, in that you have to:
a) Figure out who in the for-purpose market needs your exceptional talent to work for them
b) Ensure they choose you over someone else.
So, dear reader, I hereby present the Do Good guide to finding your Who and how best to woo them. (Apologies, Lady Whistledown’s voice seems to have taken up residence in my head – damn you, Bridgerton, for being so binge-worthy).
Finding your Who
All good things start with a list, so begin your search with a list of the organisations that occupy the space you want to work in. May I suggest the following websites as agents of reputable introductions:
If you really want to commit to the task, I also suggest creating a spreadsheet with the column headings being all that you consider desirable in a job/employer. You can then populate the rows with the answers you find online.
Remember to check out their socials for answers to your questions, e.g. LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and all the other ones we older citizens haven’t populated yet to make them uncool. Note that not all of the answers to your questions will be found online; you may have to speak to a human to find out more. That human/s could be:
Someone in your network/friend/relative who works there.
Someone who knows someone who works there and will introduce you to them.
Someone you are put through to when you phone/email the organisation asking to speak to someone in the know.
If you have a bit more time up your sleeve and can play the long game to get the job you want, then I suggest:
Volunteering in the field/ for the organisation you are interested in.
Asking if you could spend a day/week shadowing someone in the career you are interested in. (I once took holiday leave from one job so I could volunteer in a vet clinic for a week to see if I really wanted to be a vet nurse – spoiler alert, I didn’t). They may say no, but they may also say yes, so it is worth trying.
Attending Do Good Jobs’ For Purpose Accelerator (if seeking a managerial position) to upskill/fine-tune your skills and network with others in the for-purpose sector.
Once you have done the homework and figured out who you want to work for, it is time to move on to phase two of your marketing plan – attracting your who.
Attracting the Who
Yes, dearest reader, you could simply apply for a job and hope your bespoke CV scores you an interview; it is still the season of “great resignation”, after all. But a reminder that the for-purpose sector is relatively small in New Zealand, so there may still be more people applying than vacancies. I highly recommend you still do all you can to catch the eye of your beloved and not just leave it in the hands of your CV. Some of the things tried and tested by others include:
Signing up for their newsletter, following their socials and commenting on posts (in a positive way). Employers use social media to look for potential employees too.
Volunteering for them or a similar organisation (yes, I know I suggested this earlier, but it really is a great way to learn more about an organisation/vacancy and show off your skills).
Calling them to confirm that they received your CV or calling before sending it in to ask more about the position.
Asking to talk to someone about a career in their field, even when there is no vacancy.
Networking through LinkedIn. (It is populated by the managers and CEOs you want to impress, after all.
Attending all public marketing events the organisation puts on, and be sure to talk to representatives when you are there.
Being enthusiastic when talking about the organisation/role to whoever you meet, you never know; that person may have a connection there and will speak of your enthusiasm to them. Often positions are not advertised because they have been filled by a referral instead.
Registering as a job seeker with various recruitment agencies AND regularly keeping in touch with them so they get to know you and how serious you are about working in the sector.
Finding your happy-ever-after isn’t always easy. And, your why may change during the search, and that is okay; it is all part of the experience. But, when you find the who to your why, make sure you make every effort to show them you are the one they have been looking for too.
