How to Be a Cross-Functional Job Seeker

How to Be a Cross-Functional Job SeekerHow to Be a Cross-Functional Job Seeker Todays job seekers must go above and beyond to stand out to employers if they want to land a job .Having a competitive advantage in the workforce requires job seekers to understand what skills are in demand by employers and how they can become easily trained upon being hired.One thing job seekers can do to tischset themselves apart is to position themselves as a cross-functional job seeker. Now, youre probably wondering what this means for job seekers, especially when the most common term associated with cross-functional is teamwork. Lets find out what it means to be a cross-functional job seeker.A cross-functional job seeker has a jack-of-all-trades quality. Job seekers who are cross-functional take the time to get their feet wet in a variety of skills. This helps them diversify their skills set and make them easier to train when applying for jobs.Cross-functional job seekers are als o individuals who are experts in one area but have a variety of skills under their belt. For example, lets say you have a B.S. in statistics. If youre hoping to become a cross-functional statistician, you could build upon your current knowledge by gaining experience in market research or finance. Because of your math background, this would make you an appealing candidate to employers hiring market research analysts or financial analysts .As you can tell, being a cross-functional job seeker allows you to create more flexibility in your career. If youre wondering how you can become a cross-functional job seeker, here are some tips to get you startedCross-functional job seekers are very specific with their goals. Just like a cross-functional team, the different skills you gain must help you reach a common career goal , too.The goal you create for your job search will set the stage for the skills and experience you decide to gain. For example, if youre hoping to break into a new i ndustry, then youll need to obtain the skills required in order to be successful.To create a directional goal, research different opportunities within your field. Take time to read job descriptions and learn about in-demand skills within your field. If you distitelbild similar skills demanded by different job postings, consider adding those skills to your professional toolbox, too.Most career paths today are very diverse because of the number of specializations available. When marketing yourself as a cross-functional job seeker, obtain skills and experience that relate to your field, but also set you apart at the same time.A common issue job seekers have when diversifying their skills and experience is that they only familiarize themselves with different areas of expertise they dont take time to become an expert in those different skills.When gaining new skills, you should instead target your expertise and make your skills more specific. Targeting your expertise requires an investment in continuous learning .Take advantage of opportunities to develop your unique skills and build accomplishments you can add to your portfolio. This way, when you market yourself as a cross-functional applicant, youll increase your credibility by having something to show for on your resume and cover letter.To effectively market your different skills, you must be very careful when writing your resume and cover letter. Employers are definitely interested in candidates who have a diverse set of skills. However, they want your skills to be applicable to the position theyre hiring for.For example, lets say youre a public relations professional who has experience in content marketing, social media, and event planning. You just discovered a job opening with an events company and youre trying to figure out how to write a customized resume and cover letter. Although you have a diverse background in PR, it makes sense to market your events experience to the employer. This way, you can effectively market your skills for the right position.The great thing about having a variety of skills is that it gives you the opportunity to be more flexible in your job search . Flexibility is an important characteristic of cross-functional job seekers because it gives you the opportunity to apply for different jobs and be easily trained once hired.When it comes to being a cross-functional job seeker, its about gaining skills to help you achieve your goals and advance your career. Even if its something as simple as learning how to use a new piece of technology employers in your field are using, this skill can set you apart from other job seekers.