Show them you want it

It is important to have proper perspective and balance with respect to wants and needs. If you focus more on your professional wants and make them personal, aligning them with inherent passions, skill strengths, and interests, then you limit your exposure to materialism and living beyond your means as you simply focus on needs with respect to lifestyle.

Of course, it is important to make sure that other people are aware of how badly you want the opportunities, wide-ranging or limited, that are out there for you in a given career. Unfortunately, too many people do not convey their desire effectively, especially during the process of finding a related job.

If you have the chance to read through a stack of applications for just about any job, you can tell that many fill them out without really thinking about what they are communicating with respect to their penmanship, use of language, and degree of thoroughness or following directions. As a result, those who make the commitment to maximize applications or "first impressions" automatically have the upper hand in the selection process.

Naturally, developing personal relationships with potential employers is the most effective means of securing an opportunity in a chosen career path, but it must be complimented by showing that you are committed to their needs and efforts. Applications, cover letter, and resumes, not to mention writing samples, portfolios, and other complimenting elements of a professional profile, all serve to characterize your level of competency and professionalism.

If you have to fill out an application, make sure it is complete and easy to read. Do not simply tell the employer to refer to your resume. Take the time to fill out all of the information requested, even if it seems duplicitous. It shows that you are willing to make whatever effort is necessary to meet the expectations of others, whether they be coworkers, supervisors, or customers.

Even if resumes and cover letters are not specifically requested, make sure you include them. Also make sure that the cover letter is written directly to the given employer and does not read like a mass produced letter one could find with a dozen different applications.

These measures require taking additional time. If you are applying for many jobs, it can significantly lengthen your time commitment if you apply it to every job. So what? If you want a certain career, isn't any investment worth it?

It is important to never believe that your passion will lead you to an opportunity on its own. Effort is everything, and the example you set when you prepare materials for the job selection process is the first step obtaining a career opportunity that will maximize opportunities for personal achievement.