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Small Steps for a Giant Leap into the Smart Water Workforce
Competition in the current job market is fierce, especially as the economy recovers from the COVID-19 crisis. Despite being forced into new and remote ways of working, the water sector has already started undergoing a digital transformation journey. While the pandemic has accelerated this and urged the creation of new roles and opportunities, how can one stand out from a global application pool and get their desired job in this scenario?
In the recent webinar “How to Land a Job in Smart Water”, organised by SWAN’s Rising Smart Water Professionals (RiSWP), speakers Josh Newton, creator of Josh’s Water Jobs, and Nikhil Deshmuck, Co-founder & CTO of JobStep, painted a picture of how jobseekers can be more thoughtful and successful in landing jobs in the water sector. This blog summarizes some key takeaways. (Disclaimer: watch the full video of our session because we won’t tell you everything!)
Networks can effectively increase your chances
Your connections will also be able to provide you a better understanding of the market situation and advice for landing a job in a specific sector. Also, with a personal recommendation, you are more likely to bypass the algorithm that can miss the match between a job description’s keywords and the experiences listed on your resumé. If you still doubt the power of networking, listen to RiSWP Leadership Team member Muhundhan Mohan’s special contribution to the webinar, he is living proof that networking can help you land the job you want!
Relationships must be reciprocal
When it comes to job searching, a common mistake is asking for too much, too soon. People are generally generous and willing to help, but as Nikhil mentioned, “they do not want to feel like it’s a transaction”. Instead, leverage your network beyond the purpose of getting hired, and share your curiosity about their work and achievements. In other words, be the interviewer and not the interviewee, and you will be offered better responses. To improve your chances, it is advisable to follow up on your application with an email to the job poster.
Mentorship as a great way to create more opportunities
Broadly speaking, a mentor is a person you can engage with about your professional career, who can also help open doors for you. Gone are the days when a mentor was a highly experienced professional or lecturer, peer-to-peer mentoring is becoming more common and the mentors you choose do not necessarily need to be in your field. Interdisciplinarity matters, so the broader your range of mentors is, the more you get from being mentored.
Fancy an international experience? Be prepared to fight a tough battle
The pandemic created an opportunity to gain experience working remotely, but as borders closed many companies have also started hiring locally. In Josh’s words, an international job application “is a really tough sell”. If you are interested in an international career, try a multi-step approach. Start with a local organisation that has global offices and then make the move. You should highlight any type of multicultural experience. Why not to start with a short-term consultancy role or volunteering experience in an international organisation?
Upskill and keep it fresh
If you are looking for your next career move, explore opportunities for additional training and skills that will make you a competitive hire. I was surprised to learn that many companies are looking for candidates with a good command of SQL. One thing you must avoid, is disqualifying yourself just because you do not fully match a job description. That list is usually a depiction of the unicorn candidate that the company may never find. You can visit the RiSWP Smart Water Career Portal for suggested resources.