Episode 177 - Find Your Niche
This is a rebroadcast of Episode 95
What Job Hunters Need to Know about “Niching Down” vs. Being a Generalist
In this episode, I discuss why it’s essential to find your niche and the common misconceptions about niching down we need to debunk so you can get your next job faster.
You are not alone if you think you are a generalist without a specific niche, unique industry expertise, sector expertise, or deep knowledge of a particular area. Many executives believe they are generalists, and they may even announce that on their LinkedIn profiles and resumes.
However, I want to point out that every recruiter who has been a guest on this podcast de-bunks this myth that it’s better to be a generalist than an expert. Every single one of them has encouraged you, listeners, to find your expertise and flaunt it.
I remember being in your shoes as a job hunter and thinking that I shouldn’t need to niche down. Even as I started my business, I was challenged both by my close friends and advisors to present my coaching more broadly. At first, I didn’t think that I needed to niche down my business. I felt that niching was for other people. I was wrong. Thank goodness I took the risk!
But What Is a Niche?
A niche is an area of interest developed from your strengths, skills, passions, and passions. It usually involves performing a job well.
It is something that comes naturally to you.
Your colleagues gravitate to you when something you are good at needs to be done well.
And it’s something that aligns well with your personality and talents.
So here are some common misconceptions about finding your niche or your expertise:
1. Niching Down Means Limiting the Jobs You Can Apply For
That is not true. Finding your niche isn’t about fewer job opportunities. And it’s about applying for the right opportunities.
Being super specific about the niche you serve makes you the go-to person for those people. In other words? It makes hiring you when that skills, experience, or talent is needed. Choosing you is a no-brainer.
Having a niche makes you more memorable for your network and recruiters.
2. You Have to Niche Down to a Specific Group of Companies or Jobs
Niching isn’t about picking a random group of employers and declaring, “I only work for XYZ.” You can niche down...
by types of projects you can manage - i.e., Salesforce but was consulted for an SAP
by metrics you’ve worked - i.e., budget size, team size
by sector - i.e., higher education
by geographic location - i.e., Brazil, South America
3. You Have to Niche Your Entire Resume
You can niche a particular part of your brand and experience without niching down everything about you. For example, you can manage broader operations, but it may be your expertise in CRM implementation that gets you hired. This means I will need to find others to complement my knowledge. And that’s ok. No one is self-sufficient, and this is why we work in teams.
Resources mentioned in this episode
Episodes with recruiters:
Other resources from RenataBernarde.com :