Don't wait for opportunity, create it!

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. ~Milton Berle

Many job seekers may think that I'm crazy when I say this: Don't wait for an opportunity to come by; create it yourself. Some people may bump into opportunities while for others, a wait would prove futile. You may not recognise an opportunity or might not ready to grab it when it comes or in some cases, you might lose interest. While some say opportunity comes only once, others just depend on their luck. But how can you expect a result without putting your efforts to get it? Why should you wait and get disappointed?

Is it worth waiting for opportunities, No. Let me share here how one can create an opportunity rather than waiting for it! If you have the "I can" attitude, then read on...

Do a SWOT analysis: This is the most critical part since many get deviated if they're not clear about their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats(SWOT). Once you begin to know yourself, you will realise the areas of improvements. If you have clarity about yourself, it'll be easy for you to find relevant opportunities and make clear the skills you need to learn/develop. Of course, it may take time but you need to be patient, and persistent in your efforts.

Make a note of opportunities you come across: Keep a notebook or use apps like Evernote to note down the possible opportunities you come across. Later you can filter and trim the list.

Keep your eye open: It means do not restrict yourself. Be open to lifelong learning. Keep an eye and observe the things happening in your surroundings - whether in your company or outside.

Grab those hidden opportunities: For example, there are many vacancies that will not be posted in any job portals. If you’ve read my previous articles on how to chase companies rather than chasing jobs, you would have understood how to get details of those vacancies directly from the hiring managers.

Network: Meet new people inside and outside the organisation, share your profile and ask questions. Keep growing your network of people from different industries. You never know who will be helpful in your career advancement. Also, make it a habit of greeting/wishing them on occasions/festivals and help them where/however possible. The more people you know, higher the chances you will be presented with new experiences. Attend meetings with like/right minded people. You just need to ask them in a right way what you want from them.

Update/Upgrade yourself: As the adage goes: to cut down a tree in five minutes, you should spend three minutes to sharpen your axe. To do this, you need to continuously read magazines, business news, follow forums and attend events or workshops relevant to your interest areas. Leverage social media tools to keep updated yourself. Remember PEST - Political, Economical, Socio-cultural and Technological factors which may affect your career. So, there is a need to mould your career, brush up your existing or learn new skills according to PEST affect too.

Try a different approach: Sometimes, things may not move as fast as you expect. You need to apply a different approach to get things done. There is nothing wrong in having a couple of plans in hand. Think and act out of the box. For example, I did not have an ambition to become a columnist for a newspaper. It just happened when I wanted to use a different approach to reach out to the jobseekers.

Make it a habit of travelling occasionally, do not waste your time sitting idle: This way you will surely meet so many people, understand their culture and trace out different and relevant opportunities for you.

Self-motive to excel: Build self-confidence and let others follow by seeing it.

• From the list of opportunities you prepare, spend some time thinking about each opportunity and consider the following factors:

• How it fits with your daily lifestyle

• Where you stand, and what knowledge, skills are needed to take full advantage of it

• The awards/rewards associated with it

• The level of satisfaction you’re likely to get

• Where can you see yourself down the line in next few years

• Whether it is easily accessible

• What are the risks involved in it

ACT: mere thinking and planning will not bring you the expected results. You'll never get anything if you just sit at home and watch TV all the time. Go out, face the challenges, learn and move on.

If you get it - it's a SUCCESS, if not it's a LEARNING process. But never treat it as a failure.

We see opportunities as opportunities only when we are ready to see them, otherwise we see them as difficulties. – Hristiqn Nikolov.

The writer is the CEO and founder of Passion4career, an organisation that trains students to make them employable. For queries call 8099453869

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