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A job seeker without clear mission is a recipe for frustration

Want to get hired faster? Try playing "think and tell."

Specifically, you should figure out exactly what job you want and why you’re qualified to do it. Then, tell your story to the right employers.

Simple? Yes.

Easy? No.

That’s because most people would rather do anything — anything at all — rather tell others about themselves

Here’s how to do it.

Think about and decide on the job you want. Of the job seekers I’ve spoken to in person and by e-mail over the years, I’d wager that 60 percent to 85 percent of them had no specific job in mind. They were looking for work without knowing what work they wanted.

This is a recipe for frustration.

Have you thought long and hard about the job you’re really seeking? Can you say, "I’m looking for a position as a corporate trainer?" Or does this sound like you: "I think I’d like to do something in training … or customer service … or computers."

Don’t start your job search until you have decided EXACTLY what job you want.

Now, what if you set your mind on two or more jobs; say training manager and customer service manager? That’s fine, so long as you write separate resumes for each. Because the fastest way to get into trouble is to apply for different jobs with a single resume — you’ll simply confuse employers.

Think about your most-marketable experience and skills. After you’ve settled on a specific job, think about everything you’ve done that qualifies you for it. Your goal is to come up with a short-list of three or four skills that you want to use in your next job, skills you know employers are looking for.

Example: If you want to be a scuba instructor, you’ll likely need skills in scuba diving, training, and customer service, to pick just three.

Once you decide on a core set of skills, prove you have them by showcasing your relevant experience and education in every resume you write.

Anything and everything is fair game here — paid employment, unpaid internships, volunteer and charity work, school projects, etc. Because work is work and experience is experience.

Tell employers why they should hire you. Once you know what job you want and the skills you’ll need, you must tell employers why they should hire you ahead of every other candidate.

In marketing terms, you want to create a unique selling proposition (USP) for yourself.

Example USPs from the world of business:

"The Uncola" (7-Up)

"We’re No. 2. We try harder" (Avis)

"The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand" (M&Ms)

Example USP for a job seeker: "With six years of experience training more than 3,000 scuba diving students ages 5-75, and four years of military experience solving problems in life-or-death situations, I can handle just about every issue that might arise in your diving school."

Your USP should answer the question, "Why should I hire you?" And it should be the underlying theme of every resume and cover letter you write, and every conversation you have with networking contacts and potential employers.

The bottom line is this: Never expect busy employers to figure out what job you want or why they should hire you. You have to do that thinking for them.

Sure, thinking is hard work. That’s why most people avoid it, as they avoid doing their taxes or cleaning the garage.

But if you do think, you can get hired faster.

Tom Sather is the owner of Career Works Fox Valley. If you have a question that you would like answered you can send it to Toms@cwfv.com or visit Career Works on the Web at www.cwfv.com.