Get Your Next Job The Plumber Way

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevensnodgrass

Be like a plumberBut how can being like a plumber help?

What can we do to make the job search and interview process easier?

Advertise yourself

Create an online resume/CV or LinkedIn profile.Recruiters are using LinkedIn and job-search websites to fill their vacancies, make sure they can find you and what you can do.

Plumbers advertise their skills and services and let the work come to them. Customers don’t struggle to find a plumber because they know where to look and what to look for.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/31216636@N00/

Know your value

Find out what your skills are worth to employers. This can be as simple as typing your current or desired job title into a search engine and adding "salary".

Plumbers give quotes and if the client doesn't accept their quote, they move on to the next one. They don't make apologies for their prices because they've done their research and know the value of their work.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/

Prepare examples

Put together some slides or simple reports with examples of your accomplishments. Wherever you can, put a value to these in time or monetary terms that demonstrate their impact to the company.

Many plumbers have examples of past accomplishments, client testimonies and some even provide a portfolio of before and after photographs.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/baldiri/

Know your tools

Be ready to demonstrate understanding of the tools of your trade and not just those you regularly use. A little research can go a long way and simply mentioning that you are aware of the alternatives, even if you have no experience of them, shows awareness and willingness to develop.

Good plumbers know their tools well as well as the other tools available to them. They use the best tool for the job where they can and are ready and capable of using something else when what they have isn’t right for the job.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/toolstop/

Get your hands dirty

You can (and should!) do this in an interview. When a vacancy is advertised, it's because the employer has a problem to solve. They think someone with the “essential" skills can solve their problem, but do some investigating and find what the real needs are. When you know the problem, you'll be able to explain if and why you're right for the job.

When a plumber arrives at a prospective job, they don't expect their client to have made an expert diagnosis of the problem, they dig deeper to determine the root cause.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/unitedsoybean/

Thank you for checking out my presentation! I'm Iain, just a regular guy who wants to make a difference. I read a lot of articles (just like this one!) and share everything I learn with everyone I can because my idea of success is making life better for others (and being like a plumber!).If you have any feedback or otherwise want to get in touch, feel free to check out my LinkedIn profile for my up to date contact details, or you can also follow/tweet me @saunders_iain