The lyric of an old Janet Jackson song demanded, “What have you done for me lately?” In the face of rampant unemployment, this same line has become the battle cry of employers, with a slight twist. They want to know what job candidates can do for them immediately as well as down the line. With thousands of applicants transitioning out of their comfort zones and into unexplored job territory, many candidates make one fatal mistake. They assume that their skill sets must, without a doubt, meet the skill set requirements of their potential employers.
Here’s why they’re wrong, and why they exclude themselves from excellent job opportunities.