Job Search Tips: Moving Up by Faking it Until You Make It

The toughest part of any job search can be getting hirers to see you in a particular role. If you're trying to advance up the ladder, sooner or later, you're going to have to convince someone you can handle a job you've never done before. And that puts you square in the middle of that age-old paradox: no one wants to give you experience unless you have experience.

How to Project the Impression You Can Do a Job You've Never Done

There's an old saying about trying to become something you're not yet: "Fake it until you make it." Sounds kind of flakey, but it works in any job search, believe me. When you look like you're already a particular thing, people treat you like you really are. That builds your confidence, which in turn makes people believe you even more. It's a circle that feeds itself, leading you to exactly the things you want in life. Here's how to project that attitude and more effectively fake it until you make it:

Dress the Part
Find out how people appear in the profession you're trying to get into. Be as specific as possible. Note how people dress in the exact position you're aspiring to, in the exact company if possible. By emulating this style down to the minute details throughout your job search, people will subconsciously recognize you as one who belongs with that group. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy that can improve any career.

Learn the Lingo
Find out how people speak in the profession. Learn the terms, understand the slang, and pay attention to the quirks and speech patterns. Then when you get into a situation where you meet people during your job search, you'll sound like you're already in it. This classic career tactic drops people's defenses and triggers them to welcome you as one of their own.

Follow the Changes
Keep in constant touch with what's going on in the field throughout your career. By knowing the players, the places, and the positions, you gain the confidence of being someone who knows the field. And I don't think I have to tell you how such an informed person impresses people in any profession, putting your job search into overdrive.