- Find a job description that is interesting even if you don’t plan to apply.
- Go over essential functions and qualifications and assess the job description against your skills and qualifications. Be honest.
- Do I have any perceived gaps in skills sets? If yes, what are those skills? What am I currently doing to gain those skills?
- Do I have any perceived gaps in years of experience? How many years? How can I fulfill that?
- Do I have any perceived gaps in level of experience?
- If interested in a position, research the following:
- Mission
- Organizational structure and hiring priorities (based on current job openings)
- Key stakeholders/decision makers (for this specific role, not the entire organization)
- Bios of decision makers
- Roles structure/advancement
- Role analysis:
- Reporting structure
- Top 7-10 responsibilities
- Anticipated challenges in the job
- How can I help them solve it?
- Who is my competition?
- Making a case:
- Do I fulfill at least 80% requirements for this position?
- What unique value proposition do I have in addition to my qualifications? Be specific here. Specialties, sector knowledge, etc.
- What do I have that my competition doesn’t?
- How will I address any perceived gaps or deficits in skills and experience? Scenario planning.
Document from Yulia Vershinina, courtesy of Amanda Peters @acpeters | 10.2016