Every workshop and job support group I attend, I am constantly reminded that it’s all about reinvention and differentiation. The vast and desperate task of finding a job today is no longer keeping up with the next guy; it’s how to surpass him. Looking for work has become an exhausting exercise in Track & Field – how can we make it from the starting line to be the first to break the finish line tape? What is the best jockey and horse combination we can race? Do we have the shoes necessary to win? How can we rise above the rest?
Challenge yourself to be daring, different and creative. What hasn’t been done before that will get us noticed in a professional and proactive manner? Have you tried Googling “job websites in us”? Try this and you will find an endless supply of resources in which to assist your job-search needs. How can we apply these tools to specifically catapult us to the top of the hiring pile? It does take plenty of research to hone in on what your niche areas are, how your chosen profession can utilize these search tools and how to relate the aggregators effectively, but your accomplishments will speak for you. What have you done before that you can now outclass others when in an interview? What is your unique value?
Let’s speak to your strengths; in your past performance reviews, what was the number one skill that put you ahead of the pack and got you a raise or promotion? Okay, you might have to think further back than your last position, but can you consider yourself an expert in something? Was there something in a past job that you enjoyed doing more than others or brought you extreme self-satisfaction? Maybe you have an untapped skill or ability that you found under-used prior and you want to bring that out in the open to test while you have the time.
Do you have any weaknesses that have held you back or negatively impacted a performance review? Now is the time to review all of this and maybe return to school or simply take a refresher course or one-day training to clean up a bit. Sifting through endless job postings, I’m sure we all can highlight various requirements that we feel need polishing in order to become superior candidates for a position. Maybe we can find the support on-line or in a library; some of our most valuable and inexpensive resources.
Unemployed neighbors of mine have told me that they have done everything – there’s nothing left to do. Going to a support group or networking functions once or twice to say been there, done that is not sufficient. We need to honestly and thoroughly comb the landscape and continue to maintain contact and communication with everyone until we land a job…and then we need to stay connected in case we find ourselves out of work again. If you’ve been, please keep going. Find a routine for yourself to get you out meeting and discussing events with people. Barter services, volunteer and keep moving from one place to the next; never sit idly waiting and never give up. Like a crossword puzzle, for each clue you solve, for each individual with whom you shake hands, you are closer and closer to the prize – completing the puzzle and finding a job. At this point it’s no longer a conundrum or dilemma, it’s an accomplishment.
Now go reach out some more and accomplish something!
As Always, Thanks For Surfing My Wave!
Why Just Look For A Job? Create One!™
TheUnemployMENTOR – email@theunemploymentor.com
