CMS Career Blog

Our guest editor, Larque Goodson, appears to be on a health kick this week.  In her blog she has written “How and Why to Get Healthy” posts over the three days.

Yesterday she shared with us her story about shattering her ankle on the winter snow in her home state of Idaho. (continue reading . . . )

Are you stressed out enough yet? Losing a job is one of the top life stressors we can go through in life. Holmes & Rahe have designed a stress test to help you see how “close to the edge” we are.  When we go through a job shift many of the other factors are also present, so stress climbs!  What is your stress level?

Now that you know your stress level is through the roof, how will you cope with it? That’s right, I said COPE with it. (continue reading at: http://careeradvice4u.com/deal-stress-searching-job/)

When you have a job you know when to get up, when to catch the bus, when to arrive at work, when to eat lunch, when to take breaks, when to go home and forget the work, and when to take a day off.  When you leave your job, your formal schedule goes out the window.  For awhile this can be a good thing.  MANY unemployed people just need to take some time to grieve, decompress, and rest.

However, sitting on your couch playing X-Box or updating your facebook every 10 minutes can get old fast!  These activities will NOT get you the next gig, so at some point you will need to get into a new routine.  That can be tough, especially if its something you have little experience with . . . like looking for work.

Never fear!  We have been through this ourselves, AND we work with dozens of job seekers every week.  Here are some things to consider when you go to make a schedule for your job search:

• Set weekly goals that you can measure.  Nothing is more frustrating than getting to the end of the week and not being able to say, “I accomplished something this week.”  EVERY Sunday evening sit down and decide what you need to achieve over the next week.  Then, on Friday, review your goals to see how you have done.  It will make the job search much more bearable!
• Network, network, network.  How many networking groups do you attend each week?  How many 1-on-1 meetings or informational interviews do you conduct?  Your goal should be somewhere in the 8-10 range PER WEEK.  If you aren’t out talking to people, your chances of finding a job are slim!  More than 80% of people find their job through networking, so get out and do it!
• Don’t answer email or touch the computer during daylight hours.  (That’s when you should be networking!)
• Practice your “elevator pitch.”  Nothing is worse than being in a group and listening to a bunch of people drone on about where they worked before the company went and laid them off.  Have something interesting to say and say it with ENERGY!  People will listen if you give them something to listen to.  But you better be well rehearsed, or they will tune you out!
• Plan for some “you time” in your schedule.  Stephen Covey calls it “sharpening the saw.”  You can’t cut wood with a dull saw.  If you don’t take care of yourself, you will be dull and ineffective in your job search.
• Let it go.  When you have completed your day’s work, leave the job search behind.  Let it go.  Disconnect.  Go enjoy time with your family and friends.  One of the reason’s you need to set clear goals, is so you can look back and say, “I’m finished for now.”  Then disconnect.  The job search will be there tomorrow.

When you leave your job, your regularly scheduled routine evaporates.  As a job seeker, you will need to set goals and create your own schedule.  A schedule helps you track your progress along the job search, and it allows you to take time for yourself, your friends, and your family.

Thank goodness for spring! You are looking for a job, and spring is Job Fair time.  But before you head off to your next Job Fair adventure, there are a few things you should know:

1. There are going to be LOTS of people there and very few jobs . . . if any.  You may be going to a Job Fair looking to find a job, but employers go for a completely different reason.  Most companies don’t show up with jobs to offer.  Companies are there to promote themselves and assess job seekers.  They are seldom there to offer jobs.
2. Company representatives will see dozens (perhaps hundreds) of job seekers at the fair.  The chances of them remembering you from the Job Fair are slim.  Your best bet is to get a verbal commitment for a conversation at some time in the future.  Get a name and email address, and follow up immediately after the event.
3. Take plenty of copies of your resume and business cards.  Give them out liberally – even to other job seekers.
4. Have a strategy, set goals, and know what you want to get out of the Job Fair.  Since landing a job at a Job Fair is not realistic, your goals should simply be to make a certain number of connections that will lead to a face-to-face meeting within the next week or two.  A good goal is to come away with 3 solid follow-up “leads”.
5. Other job seekers might be your best bet for making contacts.  Don’t neglect making connections with other job seekers.  They can be a great source of information and support.
6. Use the job fair to assess opportunities.  While specific jobs may be few and far between, you can tell what areas of the economy are gearing up for growth.  Companies are not going to waste their time or money by going to a Job Fair if they have no plans for growth in the near future.  Be aware of the companies and industries represented.  They may be hiring soon.
7. Follow up.  My mentor, Kathie Nelson says, “The money is in the follow up.”  A Job Fair is a great place to meet people.  If you want to turn those meetings into potential job offers you MUST follow up.
8. Follow the advice of my good friend, Cleon Cox III – “Meet people, learn something, and have fun!”

Job Fairs can be a lot of fun and very instructive for your job search.  Just be realistic about what you hope to accomplish from attending the fair, and you won’t walk away empty-handed.  Go looking for a job and you will be disappointed.  Go looking to make connections and you will succeed!

I’m on a mission.

The more I work with people to help them develop their career, the more strongly I believe that there is NO REASON why anyone in our culture should not be doing work they absolutely LOVE.  In fact, I will go so far as to say, “If you don’t LOVE your job, quit!”

Now I realize that this is a radical statement, and that most people will ignore me.  Some might even get angry.  But I’m willing to stand firm in my mission until EVERYONE IN AMERICA finds their perfect career.  Even in this economy.

As a Career Consultant with an international outplacement firm I work with lots of people who have recently been laid off or downsized.  Once they get past the initial shock of not having a job, many of them tell me that getting laid off is actually a blessing.  They haven’t been happy in their current position for a long time.  Many haven’t been happy for years.  They have wanted to make a change, but they’ve become complacent and comfortable.  NOW they have an opportunity to do what they’ve always wanted to do.  Some decide to change careers.  Others retire or work for non-profit organizations.  Some stay in their industry and find a company whose corporate culture is more in line with their own personality.  Losing a job can be devastating, but for many of my clients they also find it life-giving.

That’s why I’m on this mission.  Wouldn’t it be better if you quit now and go find your perfect career before you are forced to?  What if you had a chance to do some UP-PLACEMENT before your company forced you into outplacement?  Well, you have that chance NOW.

I’m on a mission to help everyone in America find their perfect career.  So, if you don’t love your job, quit. Take a risk and see where it leads you.  I bet you will be happier for it!