While the first part of the Define stage is about understanding your 'Why', this chapter is about determining your 'What'. You have already done the hard work of looking inward. Now it’s time to look ahead and explore and identify (or validate) the 'just-right' roles that align with your personal and professional needs. You are ready to target your job search.

A job target is the 'label' on your search. It tells the world where you fit. Whether you target a specific role, industry, or company, having a clear professional focus makes it easier for your community to help you. It turns “I'm looking for work.” into searching with a purpose.

Career opportunities aren’t random. They happen when clarity (your 'Why') meets connection. Think of connections as your fuel. Former classmates/alumnus, colleagues, neighbors, or someone you find on LinkedIn -  are all useful connections and a source of information for job openings, referrals, and/or new perspectives on your path. We call these conversations with your connections 'career chats'. 

In fact, the best way to gain traction (and even greater clarity) in your job search is through career chats. Weak links - the acquaintances, referrals, and industry peers you meet through referrals in career chats - are an important window into the hidden job market (unpublished jobs), 'warm introductions', and unbiased industry insights. (We talk about 'building community' to boost your job search efforts in later chapters.)

As you read this chapter, think about: Are you waiting to be certain, or willing to learn your way forward through career chats?

Choosing a job target is about alignment, not guesswork. Use the job guides you built in the previous chapter to identify roles that match your strengths, career priorities, and North Star. Find the 'common threads' by asking: 

1. What problems do I want to solve?

2. What skills do I enjoy using?

3. What kind of work environment and culture helps me do my best? 

Equally important, remember to keep an open mind. Curiosity is a powerful tool; it can lead you to a career direction that fits your skills perfectly, even if it wasn't on your 'original list'.

Research the market. Use a Google search or GenAI to find roles and industries that match your strengths, abilities, and interests. Tools like O*NET, LinkedIn, CyberSeek, CareerOneStop, or MyNextMove are also helpful resources. Check if industries are growing or stable.

Read job postings thoroughly. Evaluate roles through three lenses: Surface (initial read), Subtext (underlying message), and Baseline (must-haves). Be sure the company’s mission aligns with your job guides.

Build a target list: Aim for a list of 4-6 potential roles. This keeps your search focused, but gives you enough options to be flexible. Note: These days, the same role can have several different names. For example, a Social Media Manager might be listed as a Digital Content Specialist.

Use local resources: Visit the ACC Make It Center. The Highland campus Make It Center provides hands-on tools, industry research, and career advising to help turn your questions into a concrete plan.

Treating a job target as a lifetime commitment. Frame your target as a 'direction for now', not a forever decision. A job target is meant to be tested and refined through research and career chats.

Staying too broad for too long. Broad targets feel safe but lead to unfocused job searches, unfocused career chats, and generic applications. 

Choosing a target based only on a job title. Look deeper. Study the job posting for actual skills, culture, and daily responsibilities to see if they meet your career priorities and personal and professional must-haves. In job postings, titles aren’t always in sync with qualifications and requirements. 

Assuming your career must move in a single, straight line. Most careers are built on 'stacking' different experiences. One role can be a stepping stone to the next. Further, employment blends (and related transferable skills) can all help in building experience, stability, and flexibility over time. 

Only looking at jobs you have already had. Ignoring transferable skills limits your options, especially for career changers and adults returning to the workforce. For example, your ability to solve problems or organize teams can be used in many different roles, not just your past one. 

Going into a career chat without clarity. Know your current direction, including a role, industry, or company you are exploring, so others understand how to help you and can connect you to other people or opportunities.

Approaching the career chat primarily to get a referral, job lead, or favor. Lead with authentic curiosity. Focus on learning how the work actually happens and how the person charted their path. Relationships come first; opportunities follow.

Believing career chats are one-time events. The true purpose of a career chat is to build a professional community over time. Stay in touch by sharing relevant articles, forwarding industry updates, or commenting thoughtfully on their LinkedIn, X, or Instagram posts. Be helpful. You want to be seen as someone who contributes, not someone who only reaches out when they need something. Career chats are about building a professional community, not just collecting information.

Asking questions that could have been answered by LinkedIn or a quick online search. Preparation allows you to ask better questions and have a real conversation rather than a surface-level exchange. Generic (or questions that require no or little knowledge of the individual or industry) or unfocused questions signal a lack of preparation and respect for the person’s time. Your questions shape the quality of the conversation. Aim to impress.  

Talking more than listening. Practice active listening. Let the other person finish their thoughts entirely before you speak, and use the 'two-sentence rule' for your own background. Give just enough context to be helpful, then go back to a question about their experience. If they want to know more about you, they will ask a question.

Treating one conversation as enough. No single person has a complete or objective view of a role  or industry. Talk to multiple people across different organizations, career stages, and backgrounds. Look for patterns, contrasts, and consensus.

Neglecting follow-up and relationship-building. Always send a thank-you note within 24 hours. Email is perfectly acceptable, but make the subject line clear and warm (for example: Thank you so much). Reference something specific from the conversation to show genuine appreciation.

During a career chat, ask a strength-based question to see if the role fits your nature. Try: "In this role, which of these two is more important: coming up with original ideas or refining existing processes?" If they say "refining" and your top strength is "ideation," you’ve just gained a critical piece of data about your fit.

After every career chat, do a 5-minute reflection. Don't just look at the facts, look at your energy. Did the conversation leave you feeling excited and alive, or drained? Your gut feeling after a career chat is the best validator of your North Star.

If a person asks you to keep them posted, do so. Following up builds trust and credibility over time. The payoff is rarely immediate, but it is real.

Use the direction you have chosen to build your bridge to the next person. When asking for a referral, be specific: "This has been incredibly helpful for nailing down my interest in (industry). Since I’m trying to dive deeper into (niche), do you know anyone else in that space who might be open to a quick chat like this?" Specific direction leads to specific (and better) referrals.

Choosing a job or industry target is not about getting it 'right' the first time. It is about selecting a clear direction, taking informed action, and learning as you go. Career chats are the bridge between your plan and reality. They allow you to test your assumptions, sharpen your focus, and understand how work actually happens.

Your community needs a clear direction to help you effectively. Without a job target, a conversation is just talk. With a job target and a  clear understanding of your strengths and abilities, a conversation becomes progress.