Here’s a question I’ve been asking friends who say that they’re ready for a new job: What do you see yourself focusing on in the next 3-5 years?
You, too, should have an answer to that question.
This isn’t quite the old “What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?” kind of question. I’m not looking for you to say, “I’m interesting in being a reporter,” or, “I’d like to be a social media editor.” Don’t just give me a job title — tell me what you’re really excited to do, and why you’re passionate about it.
Here’s what you can tell me: Tell me that you’re interested in building new ways for readers to find stories that don’t involve Facebook’s algorithm, and that’s why you’re so interested in working in newsletters. Tell me that you’re excited to start conversations with readers, and that’s why you want to work in social media. Tell me that you’re curious about new formats for telling stories, and that’s why you’re trying to get a job in podcasting. Tell me that you’ve seen how important the relationship between product and edit can be, and that’s why you’re making a career pivot into product management.
Tell me why you want to do something new, and make sure the resume you’re putting out tells the story of someone who’s been working toward a job in just that kind of role.
If you can’t answer the question yet, don’t send in your resume! If you’re blindly sending out resumes, just trying to cast a wide net, you probably won’t even get to the first interview. Instead, start by trying to answer the question: In the next 3-5 years, I’m really interested in….
Yes, the path you plan to take will probably change. Who knows what the industry will look like in a few years! But by choosing a path, you’re starting to construct a narrative for your job search. You want a hiring manager to hear your story and think, “This is a person who’s been working their entire career towards this exact job.”
Answer the question, and you’ll take a big first step towards the job you really want.
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That’s a photo of a path cutting through some incredibly pretty fall foliage in upstate Michigan. It was taken by Aaron Burden on Unsplash.