Many children are afraid of the dark. Many adults are afraid of the unknown. People on the cusp of or in the throes of job transition often become immobilized by their fear. I see working professionals stay in horrible jobs and toxic work environments because they fear that something better doesn’t exist. They have succumb to their situation and ultimate destiny. They convince themselves that their skills won’t be marketable or that other employers won’t see their value. They allow fear to keep them in an unhealthy situation.
The fears I hear job seekers grapple with are countless. Their largest fear is that the length of job search will exceed their financial resources and that they will lose their home. Job searches always take longer than people anticipate. The key is to recognize this and implement an effective job search game plan early on. This fear is “what if” based and not often grounded in present day reality. It absorbs an enormous amount of attention and energy that could be better directed towards launching a productive job search.
Other fears are myth based or grounded is misperceptions such as “I am too old, there are no jobs, no employer will hire me.” These fears can be more easily mitigated by getting the facts and avoiding gross generalizations. Too often people too easily surrender to these assumptions and use them as an excuse for not even trying.
The first step in removing fear as a barrier job change is to acknowledge the power it holds over you. And know that all fear is is a lack of faith. This starts with looking deep inside and finding faith in yourself, your potential and your possibilities.
New Year – New Job
Whether you are in a job or in between jobs, whether you are professing it to everyone you know or saying it silently to yourself, you are one of millions this New Year resolving to get a new job. It’s been too long being in the hunt or being in a place that is sucking the life out of you. It’s time for a change. Think of change like movement. You are either moving away from something or towards something. Before you lay out your game plan to get that new job be sure you have a clear vision of what you are looking for. Be careful not to rebound to a similar or potentially worse situation. Resolutions are intented to bring about positive change.
So here are 5 steps you can take to get a new job and create positve change in your career.
1. Make a commitment to change. This means first facing your doubts and fears, letting go of what is familiar and understand that making a change will require time and hard work.
2. Get clear about what you want to do next. This includes doing some self assessment. Take the time to reassess what is important to you, what you like to do and what you do best. Too often people jump right into job search without doing this part and they find themselves wandering around aimlessly in the job market.
3. Learn how to articulate what you have learned in step 2. You can’t expect your network to help you if you are unable to tell them what exactly you are looking for or hoping to do next.
4. Get your ducks in a row. Update your resume so that it is current and positions you for your objective, set up your LinkedIn profile to increase your findability in cyberspace, and gather your references so you know who you can count on during your search.
5. Like any resolution, lay out your game plan (preferably in writing) that includes your objective, milestones, timelines and resources. Resolutions often fall short without this step.
So here is to a Happy New Year filled with everything you want in a job and career.