Thursday, December 22, 2005
Job Search Updates Not Merely for the Job Seeker
This week someone really talented got fired. After 27 years as a Field Service Technician for a large well-known corporation, a gentleman in his 50's received a pink slip and I received a "911" phone call. Make no mistake, a Job Search Coach is much like an EMT; my availability as a comforting first responder could very well make the difference between whether a termination is put into perspective or whether the wounded, newly unemployed worker is left bleeding in his own self-doubt, ultimately spiraling into real potential for depression.
As I began to create a search plan for my new client I came to some startling realizations. My client hadn't looked for a job since 1978! It never entered his mind! He insisted that I type a one page resume that he intended to hand-deliver to employers while also seeking out classified ads from his local newspaper. He knew he was qualified and his anger, which had strangely morphed to a self-defensive form of arrogance, had him believing that he would be re-employed within a couple of weeks. His ignorance is not uncommon.
I have seen clients with one employer since 1968, 1978, 1988 and 1998. No matter when they last job hunted they are filled with misinformation and unless enlightened, prefer to believe that nothing has changed. So, much like my new client, they wage job searches much like they did last time they searched. They create recipes for job search failure; try to imagine this implication following an already traumatic termination.
You wouldn't wear your 1978 or even your 1998 interview suit in 2006. So don't wait until you need to look for a job to learn what's happening today. We in the industry believe that you should always be looking for a job, if only a little.
My webinar attendees in December brought a litany of old-fashioned myths and folk tales. After only an hour we were well on the path toward teaching contemporary search techniques. For certain they all know there is much about which to stay abreast and will continue to do so in the future. We at CareerBoard will do everything we can to keep you informed. Stick around and check in often. I'll be here!
As I began to create a search plan for my new client I came to some startling realizations. My client hadn't looked for a job since 1978! It never entered his mind! He insisted that I type a one page resume that he intended to hand-deliver to employers while also seeking out classified ads from his local newspaper. He knew he was qualified and his anger, which had strangely morphed to a self-defensive form of arrogance, had him believing that he would be re-employed within a couple of weeks. His ignorance is not uncommon.
I have seen clients with one employer since 1968, 1978, 1988 and 1998. No matter when they last job hunted they are filled with misinformation and unless enlightened, prefer to believe that nothing has changed. So, much like my new client, they wage job searches much like they did last time they searched. They create recipes for job search failure; try to imagine this implication following an already traumatic termination.
You wouldn't wear your 1978 or even your 1998 interview suit in 2006. So don't wait until you need to look for a job to learn what's happening today. We in the industry believe that you should always be looking for a job, if only a little.
My webinar attendees in December brought a litany of old-fashioned myths and folk tales. After only an hour we were well on the path toward teaching contemporary search techniques. For certain they all know there is much about which to stay abreast and will continue to do so in the future. We at CareerBoard will do everything we can to keep you informed. Stick around and check in often. I'll be here!
