Job Search - 6 Tips To Boost Your Campaign
|
Does your job search feel like a big weight on your shoulders?
Are you confused about what you should do next?
Do you have starts and stops in your search activities?
Are you beating yourself up because you haven't done enough?
Okay, first things first.
Conducting a job search can be overwhelming under the best of circumstances.
Add to that a full time job, kids and/or other pressing responsibilities, and it gets even trickier.
And the higher you are on the food chain, the longer it takes to find your next position.
On top of all those pressures, are you making things worse by what you're telling yourself?
Clients beat themselves up because they don't feel up to the task.
There's too much information and they don't know where to start, so they do little and then give up.
Or they berate themselves because they haven't done "enough." Time for a reality check!
Here are some tips to keep it real:
? Set realistic standards and expectations. If you have locked-in time commitments (full-time job, kids, etc.), you need to be extra careful in planning your activities. Set weekly goals that you can comfortably meet. Under-promise and then, if you do more, you'll be happy with your progress.
? Learn to wait gracefully. Do you want it all now? Ahhh, if only. . . Deal with your impatience! The older I get, the more I realize the importance of being patient. Nothing happens overnight. All those folks who made it big spent years building, waiting and never giving up. Allow your career plan the time it needs to unfold.
? Have a plan. Before you take step one, what are your career goals? A new job? Positioning yourself for promotion? What's your timetable? I can't stress enough the importance of a written plan. That way you'll see the steps you need to take, can check off your accomplishments, and keep track of your progress. Remember to celebrate your wins.
? Don't put the cart before the horse. Can you compellingly and succinctly describe what you want? Don't expect people (recruiters, your networking contacts, friends, etc.) to connect the dots. Until you can easily articulate the kind of job you want and what you'd like to be doing, networking will be a wasted opportunity.
? Write a resume only after you are clear about your job goals. I get calls from prospective clients saying, "I need a new resume." After a few minutes of conversation, they admit they're unsure of their next career move. They expect a new resume to replace the pre-work they haven't done. Your resume should reflect your carefully thought out career objective.
? Find a committed listener and have them hold you accountable. You will accomplish more and feel better if you have a trusted friend to talk to on a consistent basis. This person can be a sounding board and can give you support when you hit a speed bump.
We spend our lives trying to reach our goals. Yet, the time we actually spend reveling in our achievement is minimal. Aren't you always thinking about the next thing you want? By accepting that your job search is a process that happens over time, you give yourself permission to relax and enjoy what's in front of you today.
Dale Kurow, M.S., is an author and a career and executive coach in NYC. Dale works with clients across the U.S. and internationally, helping them to become better managers, figure out their next career moves and thrive despite office politics. Visit Dale's web site at http://www.dalekurow.com/newsletter
to sign-up for her free monthly ezine "Career Essentials," chocked full of useful career tips and strategies you can use immediately.
|
|
|
Your Interview Secret Weapon
Have you ever been on a date where you had nothing in common so you spent your time asking questions about the other person's past?"Where did you work before that? Where did you grow up? Where di...(related: Employment)
The Computer-friendly Resume
The evolution of technology is changing the traditional methods for job searching and recruiting. More and more companies are now relying on computers to initiate the process of hiring and are filling their database with candidates with skills that are easily searchable. Traditionally, submitted resumes were first received and sorted by humans. What else, right? But now, for many firms, this step has been handed over to their computers.To facilitate more efficient hiring, incoming resumes for some large firms are sent to a computerized applicant tracking system to be scanned, or read. The resumes are sorted, categorized and retrieved through data scanning technology and entered into the organization's computing network. Resumes must now be formatted and written in a way so that the i...(related: Employment)
The Hidden Agenda Of Interviews
It's Not What They Ask - The Hidden Agenda of InterviewsWhat do you think you're going to an interview for? To list your qualifications and discuss what's on your resume? That's just the tip of the iceberg, and you're the Titanic if you don't go in with at least an idea of what is beh...(related: Employment)
How To Start Your Own House Cleaning Business
If you are thinking about starting your own house cleaning business, begin by evaluating your present circumstances. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but how you reply will affect what you do.How much stre...(related: Employment)
What You Should Never Put On Your Resume
Liars Get Caught! What NOT to Put on Your Resume"Everybody does it" as they say. Face it, the job market can be a very tough place to compete. If everyone inflates their experience then how can an honest person get a job?Well, as tempting as it may be, you do NOT want to risk lying on your resume.Whether it's personal information, job experience, or schooling - employers are finding new ways to sniff out liars and you don't want to be one of them.PERSONAL INFORMATIONWhile some information may not be easily verified, information such as a criminal record, can be very costly to you in the event it is checked out. With sites like rapsheets.com you can never guarantee that an employer w...(related: Employment)
Troubleshooting Your Job Search
OK. You've posted your resume online. You've sent out a dozen copies answering classified ads. You've told everyone in your network that you're looking for a job.And nothing has happened.Now what?Since 1996, I've written/edited resumes for nearly 3,000 clients and refunded less than 3% of them for lack of results. Based on this experience, here are four ways for you to troubleshoot -- and improve -- an unsuccessful job search.1) Is your resume focused?Your resume can't be all things to all people. Mak...(related: Employment)
For My Second Career, I Want To Do Nothing!
Q. For my second career, I'd like to know "What to do when you have done a lot and nothing really interests you anymore. The things that interest me are not financially feasible right now, because one of the things I'd like to give up is working!"A. People often want to stop working when they've experienced a series of challenges. You leave one career and begin another. You experience a great burst of energy as your second career takes off. And then your excitin...(related: Employment)
Conduct An Informational Interview
Informational interviews are designed to get as much information as you can about the industry and career you're seeking a j...(related: Employment)
Dont Quit Your Day Job! Convincing Your Boss To Let You Telecommute (part 2 Of 2)
Ok, so you've determined that you have the right skills and qualities todo your job effectively from home. You're sure that your job is wellsuited to telecommuting. Now you just need your boss to agree that thisis a great idea, but how?The best approach is to make a proposal. A proposal is a very effectiveway to sell the idea to your employer because it can be used tohighlight the benefits, and presents your request in an organized,professional manner. A well-written proposal can also show that you canwork well on your own (a very important point, since you will be largelyunsupervised).The first thing you need to think about is how it will benefit youremployer. It's natural for any human being to want to know what's in itfor them. Make a list of the benefits of allowing tele...(related: Employment)
Get A Life Why Dont Ya?!
It's okay to take your job seriously, to be a stickler for professionalism, and sure it's wonderful to take your responsibilities seriously. However, you have to be a bit careful when you allow your job to become your LIFE.Give your work your best effort, stand up for your beliefs, but be...(related: Employment)
Avoiding Tire Kickers As Job Seekers
With the economy heating up and employment prospects opening up after years of dormancy, it is more critical than ever for employers to understand that unfortunately, career "tire kickers" still exist in the marketplace. Demand for quality talent, especially at the senior executive level, still outweighs supply. Tire kickers' waste valuable time and resources for both professional recruiters and busy hiring managers. They sap the strength of well designed recruiting efforts and can wreak havoc on organizations that fall for their deception....(related: Employment)
Job Interview Mistakes To Avoid
By avoiding these 8 simple mistakes, you can improve your chances ofhaving a successful interview and landing the job of your dreams.1. DON'T SHOW UP LATE. There is no easier way to lose points with a prospective employer than to sho...(related: Employment)
Why It Is Impossible To Raise Your Standard Of Living Working A Job
Everything in nature has been endowed with what it needs to survive. There is no living thing that isn't inherently equipped with the skills and abilities it needs to secure its continued existence. Whether through instinct, size, camouflage or speed, no gazelle, lion or giraffe has to go to trade school to learn how to survive. That's the beauty of the divine plan. We, as humans, are part of this plan and each one of us is given something that sets u...(related: Employment)
site-map - Copyright © 2007 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved | Free Articles and Information | Employment