Many years ago a seasoned co-worker sage gave me three pieces of advice. We worked together at a failing start-up company and it was now time to start looking for a different job.
This was twenty years ago. There have been many changes in my work life since that time, but I can tell you that this advice was solid and made a significant difference for me. And this is why I am sharing it with you now.
What he told me…
Never let the location of a job keep you from applying. By keeping the location open more contacts and opportunities will present themselves. You can always decide to decline a job offer once you weigh all the factors such as the responsibilities, pay, benefits, and location. Throwing the net wider results in more potential opportunities and interviews.
Keep a daily job search notebook. Documenting your work-search activities each day (in a notebook or on a computer) helps to keep you focused. By centralizing this information, you can quickly get at which resume you sent to whom, the dates and names related to interviews, and quickly access info for a phone screen or other correspondence. Everything related finding a job was to be written down or glued into this one notebook.
Your job, he told me, was finding a job. I was to work on getting a position most of my day Monday through Friday, just like going to a paying job. This was to help me stay on task and not get derailed by everything else in my life. The more effort I put into getting a job the greater the odds were that I would be successful. I would add to this bit of wisdom to reward yourself each day that you dedicate to the job hunt. The reward can be something as simple as a cup of special tea and a good book at the end of the day.
Maybe it is coincidence or maybe I just got “lucky”, but I have to tell you that I believe that these three pieces of advice have made all the difference in my own life.
Perhaps it will also make a difference in your life, or, for someone else that you share it with that is wanting to leave a job for a better position, has recently been let go, or is looking to re-enter the workforce after time dedicated to other areas of their life.
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About the author
I am fueled by helping people to improve their lives and find more joy that aligns with what sparks them. Nature has this sparking impact on me. I love photography and imbedding myself right in the thick of Mother Nature, the colors, smells, and beauty of it all. This leads to the great joy I find in canoeing with my husband in the wilderness, taking in the animals and bounty of Minnesota’s 10,000+ lakes. I am a life-long student of philosophy and enjoy writing and listening to all types of music. I have a long-term career in marketing and a B.S. degree and Masters work in business.
