3 Ways to Adopt an Entrepreneur Mindset While on the Job Hunt

Not everyone wants to be the HBIC (Head Bitch in Charge). Shocker, right? Some people actually love the security of knowing when and where their next paycheck is coming from.

And for those who have been in the throes of entrepreneurship, we all know, at times, it can be feast or famine. Or Ramen Noodles or steak and potatoes. Or Key West or Ibiza. You get the picture. 

Job hunting can be an emotionally draining experience. You might start off the process confident. Like, Okay universe, I attract everything I put my mind to. I lack nothing. Money is my bitch. I rule it and doesn’t rule me.

After the 100th email is sent, without a single response, all that Universe talk goes out the window. You want results. Fast. 

Let’s not forget the pervasive practice of Ghosting during your job hunt. You make it to the third round of interviews. You meet the team. “Hey, Julie. Hey, Dave. Hey, Justin.” They seem nice, your inner voice tells you.

They make you feel like you’re already one of them. You go home to your spouse, you lift her up in the air and say, “Babe, I think I got the job.” She's equally as excited and breaks out the calculator to figure out your projected take-home pay.

You survey your house thinking about the first appliance you’re going to replace with your first paycheck.

Monday comes around and you hear not a peep. Tuesday—nope. Wednesday--- Nah. Thursday hits and you lament, Shoot me now.

When Friday hits, you build up enough courage to reach out to the hiring manager, only to get an “out of office” auto response email that instructs you to email her colleague, John, for all pressing issues. You email John, because heck, this is a pressing matter. He knows nothing.

The cycle continues with another “great” job prospect.

We’ve all been there. Sometimes it’s not you, it’s them. Or maybe it is you. For some industries, it’s not enough to do your work and keep your head down. Playing it safe is so passé. You must look at yourself as a brand, even on your job hunt. 

As a copywriter, I help entrepreneurs and public figures position themselves in front of their intended audience through words. However, my services are often pursued by people who need resumes and cover letters.

Initially, I used to decline providing such services because I didn’t think they were in-tuned with the act of selling. Boy was I wrong!

Below I’ve put together 3 quick tips to help tackle your job search like a boss:

Get a sales pitch

I know, I know. When you hear sales pitch, you're probably thinking about a used car salesman with a bad combover who's trying to dupe you into buying a dud car.

Nope, that’s not it at all. Your sales pitch is not meant to be manipulative. It's meant to be straight forward. Like who you are, what you do, and why should your intended audience even care. 

Here's mine:

Hi. I'm Shirley Jean-Baptiste, a copywriter who helps entrepreneurs, professionals and public figures amplify their brands through words and storytelling. It’s simple. Fun fact: As times goes on, your sale pitch might evolve to include more experience that you’ve amassed.

Here's "sales pitch" for a nurse who's in pursuit of a job in detox:  

Hi, I'm Martha. I'm an experienced detox nurse who helps patients break their addictions through medication therapy, patient teaching, and psycho-social support.  

This "sales pitch" says the type of nurse Martha is, the fact that she's experienced, and the care that she renders to her patients. 

Martha can go on to say why she's in pursuit of a new role. Maybe she moved cross country because her husband got a new job. Maybe this new position interests her because the facility/employer has a new and innovative way to address the opioid addiction crisis.

The sales pitch is just the opener. It's up to Martha to show her personality and why she should be chosen out of a sea of 1000 applicants. Here comes the USP (Unique Selling Proposition). Martha's USP maybe the fact that she has managerial experience. Thus, new nurses can look toward her for guidance and mentorship.

Quantify your experience

One of the best ways to show that you were an asset to your former employers, is to show results. How well did you move the needle toward reaching your employer sales goals?

Here's a possible bullet point for Sales Director candidate:

· Exceeded the company's 2018 3rd and 4th quarter sales projections while leading a team of 5 junior associates.

Here's what an entrepreneur could write about his dating app, Date-Me-Now, to show his results: 

"Date-Me -Now has procured more than 3,000 connections, 200 marriages, and 500 committed relationships."

                                                    It all comes down to numbers.

Position Yourself as a Brand Ambassador

Any entrepreneur who's serious about her business is like a walking billboard. At a drop of hat, she can tell you about the ins and outs her business.

She remains on brand to maintain a positive brand equity and to mitigate confusion amongst her target audience.  

And remember, people don't buy products; they buy into a fantasy or the people behind the products. It's no wonder that Influencer Marketing has taken the world by storm.

Everyday people, like you and me, are making bank just by being brand ambassadors—something that used to be exclusively afforded to celebrities and athletes.

Make it clear to your prospective employer that you're a fan and that you'll represent their brand to the fullest if you're hired.

In closing, here's something to remember: Your resume is your elevator pitch and your cover letter, coupled with the actual interview, is your Ted Talk.

As someone on the job hunt, your "Ted Talk" is an opportunity to tell your why, your how, and what's in it for your prospective employer.

If you have any tips on how job seekers can adopt an entrepreneur mindset on their job search, comment below. If this post helped you, please share it with your network.