By the title of this article, you may think this is bad advice. Why on earth would you stop chasing opportunities? Well, this is not so much a suggestion that you should stop chasing opportunities, but you should instead prime yourself to let opportunities chase you. This article is all about formulating your career and online/professional presence to make it easier for opportunities to find you.
Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile
There are several ways to optimize your LinkedIn profile to attract opportunities. One of the easiest ones is to pack your profile with keywords, including your “About” section, experience, education, and project sections. Find words that are commonly used in your field, or more generally applicable ones, and load your profile with them.
Similarly, use your network on LinkedIn – ask your connections for recommendations and to endorse your skills. Likewise, updating and optimizing your headline can bring recruiters and industry leaders. Engaging with content in your field from established leaders is a great way to establish your own credibility. Obviously there are many other ways to optimize your LinkedIn profile, but these will get your started.
Network With Intention
Networking is another great way to have opportunities come your way. When you make an impression on someone professionally, that can make a big difference. When communicating with others, always leave the door open for future opportunities.
For instance, if you apply for the job but do not get an offer, connect with the interviewers anyway. Perhaps another similar opportunity will open up and you may be at the top of the list. Or, maybe a totally different opportunity will come up but you still fit the bill, so you may be the first call. If one of the hiring managers moves to a different role or company, chances are they will take their connections with them. When you can keep the doors of your career open, you have a lot of choices for which one to walk through.
Share Your Experience: Opportunities Will Abound
Whether on LinkedIn, at networking events, or to the general public through talks, lectures, classes, or mentorship, sharing your experience is a vital way to boost your credibility and presence. Find ways to share your experiences. If you have a LinkedIn profile, (re)post, comment, and like content regularly. Take on a mentee or give a public talk. Remember, in this day and age, a lecture can be in person or online, similar to a webinar. The more you can get your expertise and experience out to the world, the more likely people are to see it.
Boundless opportunities can come your way by taking note of some of these strategies. So while you are busy chasing your own dreams and finding more opportunities, make sure the career you have already built is busy working for you.
