Professionals should stop thinking about themselves as employees and start thinking of themselves as a business-of-one. As a business-of-one, the employer is your customer and you're selling that customer services that you'll provide that will
ultimately save and make the business money.
That mindset forces job seekers to put into perspective what their key skill sets are, and what they bring to the table as a professional. It's also important to pay attention to the small details that help shape you as a professional—things like your communication style, work style, learning
preferences, unique gifts, life priorities, passions and interests, etc. This all shapes your personal brand, and helps to determine career fit.
Once job seekers have a strong understanding of what industry they may fit in, the next step is to create an "interview bucket list" of 10-20 employers that they admire. While you may already have some companies in mind, it's important to be open-minded. Sometimes
the best fit is a company that doesn't initially come to mind.
Sometimes the best way to get a sense about a career path is to lean on people who have been through it. That's why it's important to build a strong professional network. Job seekers should use LinkedIn to connect with employees who work at their bucket list companies.
Explain that you're interested in working in the industry, and potentially at the company, and you're just looking to learn more.