When At The Bottom, Look Upward.

Well Mom lost her battle with cancer last Monday morning. She took her last breath and passed into her next life. My belief is she is taking residence in heaven. This not only helps me get through my tough days it also reminds me of my own life. Watching someone die is very difficult especially when it is a family member. Mom knew her last days were coming to a close. She knew that sometime soon she too would breath her last breath as do many cancer patients in the last stage of the disease. She knew it and that is the weird part.

I asked her a few weeks back why she didn't go out and do something she always wanted to do or buy something she always wanted. She looked at me with a puzzled look and said I have done everything I wanted to; there is nothing else to do. That attitude struck me as funny. It was funny probably because there are so many things I want to experience and do before my life here on earth ends. There are so many experiences I have only heard of but never tasted.

Mom had all the people around her she wanted. She had her kids and sisters by her side and that was good for her. She enjoyed her life even with a few regrets. I don't think the pain I feel for Mom not being here is what she would want. I know she wanted me to continue doing what I was doing. What she did want is for me and everyone around her to know that even when you feel like you are at the bottom with no where to turn, you can look upward for strength. Mom was a Christian and believed in God to the fullest. She instilled good Christian principles and beliefs in me and my sisters. Looking upward did not provide more understanding or relief or acceptance but what it did do is remind her (and me) that life is right now. Once it is over, it's over. Do the things that make you nervous or scared or push yourself because you really only have this moment to live. Look upward for strength and you will find it.

Let's Get Started!

Jeff

Decide First, Decide Later

Sorry for the confusing title but wanted to outline two very distinct ways to look for job opportunities. Most people do a hybrid of both techniques which is also fine.

Decide First: This technique is for the person who wants to craft what they are going to do next in their career. You don't have to be an analytic-type to conduct this activity but your first inclination is to start to put a plan together on what your next job will be. You may like your work but hate your boss or the company you work for or the hours and pay you receive but generally want to plan the next step down the path you have started.

This idea of analyzing and planning you next career move provides you greater control of the direction you want to go in and helps to minimize the "bumps" in the road. Some people who practice this technique do so to create busy work so they can delay getting started. This mini procrastination can become a major problem if not kept in check.

Decide Later: This technique if for the person who doesn't really know what they want to do next. Their first inclination is to just get out there and see what happens. After they find an interesting job title or opportunity they decide if it what they want to do. This change many times is a 180 degree change in career and many times this type of person handles change and the unknown best; they actually thrive on the unknown.

This type of search provides much less control and more reliance on outside influencers to guide or direct their efforts. Some of the people who gravitate to this technique are optimists who just dig in and get the job done. Their down side is they are not very patient and can miss opportunities if they would just give some time. In addition, this technique lends itself to proceeding down a direction that other people think or believe you should.

What do you do??? Glad you asked. I believe you should use both techniques while job searching. If you are out of work and need the income, find whatever you can to pay the bills. Once the bills are being paid, start exploring options you like and others like for you. In addition, start talking to people you know (and those you don't) about your hunt and see where the conversations take you. Using both techniques can really be fun and add some unknown directions to consider.

Let's Get Started!

Jeff

May, June, July...is anyone hiring?

There are so many ups and downs to job searching it can be difficult to figure if anyone is hiring. I have written often of the "roller-coaster" ride a job search is. The summer months are no exception; the ride is still there.

Actually, we have seen an up-tick in job leads for our clients. One client in particular has not had a bite in almost 2 months then all of a sudden BAM! a great interview set up within 48 hours of receiving her resume. She had a telephone interview with the President of the company and a face to face with the hiring VP. She was ecstatic. The problem was that I could not answer the question why the TWO MONTH dry spell. It can be frustrating even for professional like us.

Stay strong and keep your priorities in check. Your search may take longer than expected but this is no reason to just give up and shoot for a lower paying or level job. Dig in and keep pushing hard because things will turn around. AND DON'T get caught saying: "The economy is bad...blah blah blah." You have NO EXCUSES to finding a job and don't lie to yourself about why things are not working. Make some changes in your presentation, cold call list or whatever and keep going.

Let's Get Started!

Jeff

Repeat Your Efforts

In my experience, some job searches are quick and others are very slow. I still haven't figured out what truly speeds up a job search as there are so many factors. What I can say is there are levels of activity whereby results have followed. What I mean by that is what I term Repeating Your Efforts.

I have worked with some clients where we have targeted over 300 companies without any luck in getting them hired. These clients have received some emails, telephone interviews and a few face to face meetings but no job offers. Have we failed? NO we haven't. The reason we haven't is because many times it is one of the next 20 or 30 companies we contact where the right opportunity presents itself and my client gets an offer.

Repeating your efforts no matter how many times you have done it is essential. Don't give up but keep moving forward. The reason you keep trying and moving forward is because you learn something new every time you repeat your work. You learn more about yourself, your resume, your marketability, etc...

The job search is about doing it better and better every time. Eventually these activities pay off. How long will it take; one never really knows. The real question is are you committed for the long term? If so, keep repeating the work you are doing and something WILL open up for you.

Let's Get Started!

Jeff

What Seeds Are You Planting?

Well I am finally back from my trip to see Mom. She is doing ok given her situation. Life has a way of taking me for a ride sometimes. This one is no different.

This post is geared towards reminding you to be patient during your job search. I know this is a very difficult thing to master. Patience is a challenge for many of us because we have our own "time table". This is normal in my opinion but one that needs to be kept under control.

The first rule in any job search campaign is to plant good quality seeds everywhere you go. Whether you are at work or play or church or home, it is vital to be planting seeds that exemplify who you really are. The seeds I am referring to are not to manipulate a person or situation but to demonstrate the type of person you are.

Seeds are the little things you do and say that provide clues to your character. If you are frustrated people will know it. If you are desperate, people will sense it. If you are calm, they sense that too. Keep a check on what you are showing to people in the little things you say or do. This will invariably hurt or help your job search.

You have permission to discuss your feelings with close friends or relatives in order to get out your frustrations or fears. Just don't carry them on your shoulder or tongue. Keep tabs on the perceptions you are leaving people every time you see or meet them. Your job search will thank you.

Let's Get Started!

Jeff

Blog Hiateus...Family First

Sorry for the delay in blogging over the past few weeks....I needed to spend some personal time with my mom and family during a tough time. Mom has cancer that went from uterus to lung to brain. She is still battling and will until the end. Mom is strong in a number of different ways and I love her for her strength.

The main reason for this blog is to remind everyone about the idea of family first. In the end we really on have each other. Some people have great friends who act as family and that is great too. But in the end putting others before our own needs is the right thing to do. This is true with raising kids or taking care of our parents or others. Sometimes when we are job searching we want what we want without thinking about the others who mean so much to us.

Don't take that job if it puts your family at risk or breaking apart. Don't consider the $$ over someone else's well being. In the end the well being of our families is crucial because it is sustaining. Jobs and companies and businesses will come and go but we cannot easily remove those who are closest.

When I was a kid and we went to Sunday School I remember learning one very important principle.....J O Y comes from putting:

J esus first
O thers second and
Y ou last

When we give to others we are truly giving.

Don't be scared to give or do that thing you know you really need to do whether it be:
- apologize
- ask the tough question
- lend a hand
- smell the roses

Live today as there is a tomorrow but unbeknown what it will look like.

Let's Get Started!

Jeff

Not Sure What To Do?

What do you do when you are not sure what to do? Job searching will eventually run down this path where you will feel like you answer every question with an "I don't know" type of answer. Why is this?

There are many reasons for it but the most prevalent one is due to confusion. Confusion is the brains way of signaling that it is overwhelmed and cannot operate with efficiency. The brain gets this way when we let our emotions get the best of us. Emotions have a way of slipping in the cracks and without warning filling our "gray matter" with wrong, typically negative thoughts. Don't let your brain do this to you. You have to make a change.

Change your surroundings for a day or two. Change your routine a bit. Pray. Tell yourself a list of 10 positive things every time you start thinking down. This work will help bring you out of the bottom where you are sitting. You are doing it to yourself. Because of it YOU are the only one that can bring the change. Start changing "mechanically" and eventually it will become more automatic.

Hang in there as the tide will turn for the better; just be patient.

Let's Get Started!

Jeff