Having to perform a job search is rarely at the top of a list of "fun"
ways to spend ones time. Job search is generally regarded as dreary
work at best. And why not? The process is almost always spent
independently. Job seekers look at newspaper ads independently, make
calls to companies independently, get turned down independently, wonder
if they are ever going to find a job...independently. Now don't
misunderstand me, I'm not suggesting you should take a friend to your
next interview; I'm talking about building a support network.
Why do we make the job search such a lonely practice? So many
studies have shown that teams can out-perform and out-achieve
independent workers over and over. When you quit smoking through the
American Lung Association, you do it with a buddy. Experts say that
dieters with a diet buddy have a 45% higher chance of sticking to it.
Why don't job seekers have buddies? No, not someone who will let you
cry on their shoulder, who will empathize with you about how bad the
job market is or someone who isn't in the job search mix at all, but
another job seeker!!
Think about it. Without positive support in any new and uncomfortable
situation, it's so easy to become discouraged, to start to believe
negative hype. Many job seekers find themselves settling for a job they
aren't happy with because they believe that there are no jobs out
there. There are jobs out there!! You just have to find them. But how
can you stay motivated to look when everywhere you turn for a job you
get turned down? It becomes very easy to feel that you are all alone
and that this is not happening to anyone else. So, it either becomes a
problem with your methods of job search or a problem with the job
market.
The real problem is isolation. How can you possibly stay motivated in a
vacuum? Who will tell you that you will get that job? Hearing "no" is
crushing to anyone's ego, especially a job seeker who may be worried
about paying the next electric bill. So how can you avoid this
isolation and the negativity that can build up around an independent
job search? Find a team, form a team, or hire a career coach!!
With a team, you have people who are going through worse
situations and make your problems seem insignificant. With a team, you
have support. With a team you have praise. With a team, you can keep
going. A team as they say, builds steam to keep it moving forward. Even
with a background in the employment field and the knowledge of how to
conduct a job search, when I relocated to Brevard I joined a job club.
The difference the support of those strangers, who did not know my
shortcomings or fears or lack of certain skills, made to the success of
my job search was phenomenal. They gave me the strength and hope to go
to my interview with pride and a positive attitude rather than fear and
desperation. And, I got the job.
You can find structured job clubs or success teams through professional
resume services, career and success coaches, state employment offices,
some college employment offices, churches, and professional
organizations. You can also form your own group if you know of other
job seekers or work with a career coach to match you with team members.
However you do it, do it!! The team concept works and will not only
keep you motivated but will help you network for job leads, expand your
contact list, and uncover many new possibilities that you might not
have yet considered in conducting a successful job search.
-Laura DeCarlo, CPRW, JCTC
A Credentialed Career Master, Certified Professional Resume
Writer, and Certified Job Search Coach.
A Competitive Edge Career Service
www.acompetitiveedge.com