Hearing about the latest job search strategies can be frustrating if half of them don’t apply to you.
As a job seeker living outside of a major metropolitan area, you may not have access to the same opportunities. However, there are plenty of techniques available to you that create results!
- Your network is closer than you think. Social media has blown networking into another universe! Now, your contact in Mumbai may introduce you to your next Boss who lives across town. There are no limitations on who you can reach – don’t allow a lack of neighbors to stifle your efforts.
- Everything is going virtual. Online educators, phone therapists, financial advisers, recruiters, and even radio DJs are now able to work from the comfort of home. You no longer need to be a programming guru to find work as a remote employee. Technology advances have created the opportunity to live in one country and work for a team halfway around the globe.
- The gig economy is growing. The 8 – 5 job is going the way of the FAX machine and being replaced by portfolio careers made up of “gigs.” You can be a landscaper on weekends, Lyft Driver on rainy days, and adjunct online science professor on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The sky’s the limit when you engage your creativity.
- Partially remote is on the rise! This may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s increasingly common to have geographically split households as professionals groom their careers. You may live in South Bend while your partner spends 4 days a week in Chicago. As a temporary situation, this can work well for dual-career families.
- We’re all entrepreneurs. You don’t have to be the next FaceBook (or even tech savvy!) to make a good living online with a service-based business. In fact, some small business owners make most (if not all) of their income via advertisers versus customers.
- Over 5% of jobs are created. As part of a tight-knit community, you have first-hand insight into challenges faced by local business owners, neighbors, and community leaders. Find a problem you are uniquely qualified to solve, then pitch your idea.
Regardless of geography, to stand out in this crowded job market, you need to disrupt the traditional techniques with creative strategies that work for YOU!
Yes, it takes effort. Yes, it feels uncomfortable. And yes, it requires creativity. However, the best opportunities come to those who color outside the lines.
Happy hunting!