by Cindy Key
Almost daily I hear one or more of these: “The economy is so bad, no one is hiring and I’m waiting for things to improve to look for a job”, or “Things are so bad, I’m discouraged, frustrated, sad and feeling like I am wasting my time”, or now a new favorite, “It’s the holidays, no one is hiring”. That type of thinking may just be sabotaging your career and your future income.
First, December is always a busy time of the year for the search business, in both good and poor economic times. It is at the end of the year that department heads often try to fill positions on their teams. They want to be fully staffed for the start of the year, and they’re trying to avoid losing head account by operating over a long period of time with an open spot.
Yes, unemployment was down in November. Yes, many have rejoined the work force, going back to what they enjoy, earning what they did before. If you aren’t one of the “many”, then you’re still competing for a job with a large number of the unemployed. To you, the job market hasn’t turned around. So what’s the difference between those who returned to work and those who didn’t? Could it be that the now employed worked to take advantage of the opportunities right under their nose?
Is it okay for you to continue to have your job search cost you $400 a day? Yes, that is the cost of your job search if your salary is $100,000 annually. Can you afford that? Of course not!
As I said in the beginning, employers hire in December. Now is not the time to take a break. Re-connect, stay connected, and keep your focus. Believe it or not landing the job you want is not that complex, but it does require two very critical steps: 1) deciding what you want and 2) doing what it takes to get it. Most people either aren’t clear about what they want or lack the commitment to doing what it takes to land the job they want. The result is a prolonged search often with less than ideal results.
If you are stuck and need help, get it now. Don’t wait until you get a call for an interview to call for help and get prepared. Don’t stop your “on brand”, authentic and compelling marketing and by all mean don’t take a break during the month of December.
If you have an idea or a hunch, do your due diligence and act on it. Opportunities don’t come along without the resources to act on them. This is the way the world works. Take action, don’t look at the obstacles or make excuses.
If you are not where you want to be in your job search, one of the major reasons is your lack of action. Yes, you have heard it and may be saying you know that, “To get different results, you must do things differently”. You’re probably nodding your head right now, saying “I know that”.
Are you willing to DO what you haven’t done before? Or will you just continue to nod your head? Get clear on the options and opportunities all around you and right under your nose. Write down what you want.
This is not as simple as it sounds. If you are saying “I don’t need to write down what I want, because it is in my head”, think again. This arrogance of thinking, coupled with “I know that” are forms of self sabotage .These may be the very things keeping you from moving forward. Yes, these are basic things, but, if you are not where you want to be it is time for the basics.
Knowing the basics yet failing to execute on them can cost you dearly. Just like a football team that loses a game because it didn’t execute the most basic play, failure to execute certain basics can extend your job search and can impact your salary and long term earnings.
Write down the job you want, when you want to start working and describe the job you will be doing. Review the systems you are using to land the job. Now look at your résumé and your LinkedIn Profile, are these aligned with what you want? If not, why not?
Are you devoting time to networking, researching your ideal employer and contacting the employers and hiring managers that interest you? Or are you devoting hours to surfing the internet job boards hoping for the job you want to appear?
What will you do differently this week?
If you’re ready take action, speed up your search and land the job you want in record time, and have questions about your search, sign up on the right for my Q & A calls then join the next call to get your questions answered.
I will email you the information on the next call. Until then continue to move forward and accelerate your search.
Don’t forget all talented professionals and experts sometimes get stuck; the key to their success is that they know when to ask for help and where to look for the assistance they need to move forward. High achievers simply need information and to be pointed in the right direction. Given the “what to do” they dive in, apply their skills, and get the job done.
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