Essential toolkit for applying for Change Management roles

When going for a new role in Change Management (or any role for that matter!), what are the essentials to have in your job hunting toolkit? Rather than leave things to chance, use the checklist below to make sure you’re ready to apply and shine in applications and interviews:

An up-to-date LinkedIn profile

Most recruiters and hiring managers will check out your LinkedIn profile once they see your application or ahead of an interview. Be sure everything is up-to-date, free from typos, comprehensive, and relevant. LinkedIn provides prompts to get to an All-Star profile - use them! Ask for Recommendations from previous employers or clients to pad out your page, add in any new skills or certifications, and update your LinkedIn headline to your core skill sets or what you like to help people with NOT your current job title (the job title sits against each role in your Experience section). And for the love of all things Changie, please upload a new professional head shot - the snipped out shot of you at your cousin’s wedding doesn’t cut it, so jump in front of good lighting and take a new professional headshot on your incredibly advanced smartphone camera that showcases the spirit of you.

A winning Change CV

It goes without saying that you need a CV tailored and optimised for Change Management if you want to go for Change roles (or aligned to your chosen profession if you’re a business leader or Project Manager leading change). CVs should be 2-5 pages long max, clear and concise, and a point in time (versus your LinkedIn which is a running history of your professional profile). Read my blog post on the top mistakes I see in CVs (click here to read) or grab my Change CV template for a ready-to-fill example. If interviewing in person, take a couple of printed copies with you just in case your interviewers are running behind and fallen short.

Recruiter connections

Recruiters are your best friends in Change and it’s super smart to build relationships with the industry’s best and brightest ahead of even needing a new job, and then touching base to say you’re available when your green light is on. I recently provided a list of recruiters I recommend in my private and exclusive Leading Successful Change alumni community. 

A ring light or window

Many interviews may still be done virtually so do yourself a favour and get out of the axe-murderer shadows so you can shine. Buy a cheap $100 ring light, set to “Warm” (turn it up on full brightness and point it directly away from you against a white curtain, wall or flipchart to avoid glare headaches) or at the very least, set up shop for your interview in front of a window with a flood of natural light. Extra points for lifting your laptop up with books or a riser so your eyes are level with the camera lens.  

Headphones

If you’re applying for new jobs while still in roles or just in a notoriously noisy home, use headphones and video call settings to reduce background noise and keep your call confidential.

Dress for the type of culture you want to work in

You know how they say “Dress for the role you want?” I say: “Dress for the culture you want to work in.” Decide what kind of company or culture, industry or project that you want to work for and rifle through your wardrobe to pick out a shortlist of clothing candidates that would speak to that. Hang them up around the house or front and centre in your closet and start to channel and anchor that new job in that dream culture - it will already be aired and wrinkle-free for when you want to don it for the interview.

Information about the company, project/change, and interviewers

Here’s where recruiters are soooo handy, but you can also use the company’s website, LinkedIn Company page, current employees or mutual connections in your network, GlassDoor or the internal Talent Acquisition team to give you the inside scoop on the company, the project or change, and the interviewers or hiring managers’ background, experience, personality, interests and goals. It helps you show up with confidence and see if this role is really right for you.

Your prepared behavioural questions

See my previous blog post on “Simple life-changing hacks for using stories in job interviews” - click here to read

Confidence, resilience, passion

More than anything you need to have built the confidence in who you are, what you want, what value you bring, and what you’re worth. You need to have the resilience to bounce back from rejection and challenge. And the passion for people and change that will shine through.

As well as covering the technical, advanced or next-level aspects of change leadership and delivery, these Change career-focused tips are some of the types of things we cover in the Monthly Coaching Calls of my Leading Successful Change program. Our next coaching call is next week Wednesday 6 December, so if you want a beautiful balance of change skills and career confidence to start or step up in Change Management, join Leading Successful Change today and let’s get you onboarded in time for the call.

>> CLICK HERE to join our next Leading Successful Change Coaching Call

Lata xx