Ramit Sethi: ‘Resumes Become Job Killers’ — 8 Steps To Make More Money (And Be Happy at Work)

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Ramit Sethi is a well-known entrepreneur and author of the New York Times bestseller “I Will Teach You to be Rich.” 

He recently sent a newsletter giving advice to his community about how to find your dream job, make more money and be happier at work. Sethi explains that most people are working at jobs they don’t like, and yet, they don’t take any action.

Sethi sets out to fix that by giving eight specific steps to make more money by finding a new job. Here they are.

Step One: Identify Your Career Season

Sethi acknowledges that, sometimes, people are in a phase of growth. Sometimes, they want to reinvent themselves or make a lifestyle change. If your current job is not meeting your season of growth, then it’s time to start figuring out what you want out of your professional career, Sethi says.

He explains there’s nothing worse than staying in a job that doesn’t value you or pay you well. 

Step Two: Discover Your Dream Role

The next step in figuring out what you want to do is to discover your dream role. Sethi recommends using the window-shopping strategy to find this. 

This means that you can explore different industries and titles until you find one that complements your skill set and your passions. Sethi also recommends talking to people who work in those roles. 

With the advent of LinkedIn, you have unparalleled access to more people than ever. Talk to those people and find out how they like their jobs, what their job is like and what a typical day looks like. 

With this information, you can determine whether or not their role and title suit you. Discovering your dream role might take time, but it’s worth it to find a job that you love and that properly compensates you.

Step Three: Discover Your Dream Company

Sethi also talks about the shadow market approach. What he means by “shadow market” is that 80% of jobs are filled before the job listing goes up online. So, if you want to be one of those people who gets a job before it’s listed, you have to widen your network and reach out to people. 

Make a list of dream companies, places you’d absolutely love to work for. Then, find people who work for them and message them.

Step Four: Build a VIP Network

Sethi explains that you would be surprised how many people are willing to speak with you about their jobs and connect with you. Don’t let the fact that someone is a VIP at a company prevent you from reaching out.

Plus, he explains that a proactive approach can really impress many potential hiring agents. Even if some people you connect with can’t help you get your next job, they might be able to help your career in the future.

Step Five: Craft Irresistible Marketing Materials

Sethi says that resumes are incredibly generic these days. He recommends stepping outside of basic, predictable cover letters and resumes and instead creating a very compelling story.

Your narrative should show potential employers your unique value proposition. Step into the shoes of your hiring manager, who is wondering what you can do for them and how you will add value to the team. So, make sure you create something memorable and unique to show them that.

Step Six: Land Multiple Interviews

Forget the traditional application process, where you apply to 100 different jobs online and hope for the best. By leveraging the VIP application approach and directly connecting with managers and key contacts at companies you’re interested in, you can secure several interviews. 

The goal is to land as many interviews as possible to ensure that you are gaining valuable experience and getting enough offers to show companies competitive packages.

Step Seven: Perfect Interviewing — Get the Offer

Interviewing is a skill, and the more you interview, the better practice you get. Sethi says to make sure you understand the questions your interviewer is asking and practice creating very polished responses. 

There is one technique he mentions called the briefcase technique. The briefcase technique is a proposal that shows what you’ve done and what you will do. Sethi says to create five to 10 ideas of things you’d like to accomplish in the next six months. If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, Sethi says to ask yourself what your boss would be delighted to hear you say. Ramit explains that you’re not selling your ideas. Rather you are showcasing your initiative, and that’s what hiring managers like to see.

Step Eight: Negotiate Salary & Surprising Perks

Hopefully, using these techniques, you can get multiple job offers, negotiate your salary and get other great job perks. Sethi says not to be afraid of negotiation. One way to do that is to feel confident in your abilities, show what you can offer and engineer bidding wars by completing multiple interviews and getting several offers at the same time.

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