Transcript - slide 4

Spend time researching the business community.

Tap into the "hidden" job market.

Meet and talk with employers.

Take time to talk with and observe others who have been successful negotiating creative jobs.

In addition, to knowing the individual job seeker, you must spend time researching the business community in order to locate a viable opportunity. You must also be creative and think beyond existing job opportunities in order to develop new ones. Tapping into the hidden job market and identifying business needs, is key. Instead of focusing on existing job openings, you will be looking for ways to help employers meet their unmet needs or improve operations by designing a position for a specific job seeker. Your eyes must be open, and you should look for new and creative ways to enhance the business by solving problems. You must listen and hear opportunity when it knocks. The right questions must be asked, at the right time, to help employer’s think about restructuring work in a way that will benefit the business and develop a job opportunity for a specific individual. Once a viable opportunity is identified, and given that the job seeker is interested; a proposal must be made and negotiations take place. When successful, the applicant will become employed. To achieve this end result, you must become an effective negotiator.

You may already possess all or some of these talents. Take an inventory of your existing skills and if needed invest the time and energy necessary to improve your performance. Meeting with employers, trying out various strategies, and creating your own style, will help you develop your skills. In addition, you should also take time to talk to and observe others who have successfully negotiated creative work structures.