When searching for a new position, it can be difficult to find "the job." Job seekers are becoming more familiar with the possibility of creating a position, either with a new company or their current employer, that is better suited to their skill set. These tips may help you determine how you can create that new position instead of applying for one.
1. Stop Searching for "The Job"
If you're going to create your own job within an existing company, you're going to have to stop looking for a job at other companies. Instead of wasting your time searching for the job suited to you, look for the best company for your skills. Spend your time researching companies you'd like to work for, companies you can support and believe in, and find out whether they have a need for your skills.
2. Research and Plan
For a new company, you'll need to figure out how you would benefit the employer with the new position. Spend time researching and try to plan a few informational interviews; delve into the aspects of the company that are lacking and could benefit from your expertise in any area. You don't want your future employer to have to do any of the legwork or planning, so make sure everything is well thought-out. You need an implementation strategy, a detailed list of responsibilities, and a reasonable timeline, in addition to contingency plans for anything that doesn't seem to line up for the employer.
Your research should detail exactly what the position will look like and how it will benefit the company. Although it will take some time to create the detailed proposal, it is a crucial element that will give the management team an idea of what can be accomplished with the new position.
3. What Can You Do for the Company?
Part of your proposal should provide details of how this position would benefit from your skills and experience, and how it will line up with company needs. Companies want to know what's in it for them, not what the situation would do for you, so your explanation also needs to include how it will help the company grow, why you are the best person to do it, and what would need to happen in order to implement it. The more detailed your proposal is, the more likely it will be considered.
4. Present Your Plan to the Right People
Networking is imperative when seeking the right people to connect with. You need to present your proposal to people who would be directly involved or influential in the hiring process. You do not want someone in human resources, however, but rather someone in the department where the position would fit. Use their influence and expertise to fine tune your proposal, and tailor the message to your audience before you set up that final meeting to present it. Emphasize how the position would help the company, and why you are the one to do it.
5. Idea Pitch
After everything is as detailed and finely tuned as possible, you'll need to prepare your pitch. You must convince them of the value of this new position and demonstrate yourself as a professional who is the company's missing link to success. Start with your immediate supervisor as your initial audience, and hopefully, you'll be able to move up from there. Have a simple outline of the plan, beginning with the problem you'll be solving, and be prepared to answer any questions that would challenge your proposal. After hashing through it with your supervisor, receiving feedback, and making adjustments, find the next step in developing the role.
Be patient with the implementation. Ideas need to be funneled through the proper channels even if they are ultimately approved at the site managerial level. Not every proposal will be accepted, no matter how well organized and thought-out. Timing, resources, and funding all play into making a newly proposed job an actual position. Even if it does not end in an immediate response, the experience will give you one more thing to add to your repertoire.
