Looking for a Job is a Job

Have you ever uttered the following?

• There are so many people out there with more skills and experience than I have. 
• I hope to find a job soon, but I don’t know if it will happen.
• I have been out of work for so long that I do know if I will ever work again. 
• Maybe I should just give up!

Well let me share with you the story of an operations executive named Raymond.  Raymond has a degree in business administration and has held various positions in Fortune 500 companies during a very successful 25+ year career.  Now at 52 years old he found himself a victim of the numbers game and was laid off.

After all this time he now had to draft a resume and go out into an uncertain job market.  Currently, the unemployment rate sits around 9%, but many believe the effective unemployment rate is about 17% due to all of the job seekers who have given up on their search.  At no time in my life has the job market been so fierce, hundreds of resumes for every one position is the norm, so you better stand out if you want to be noticed.

Raymond, being the business person he is, thought about his job search and put his business acumen into play.  He thought about the position he wanted and the company he wanted to work for and then he went to work.

He developed a job search strategy which drove his search and he stuck to it.   The strategy involved setting goals for his search, establishing new business contacts and tapping into existing ones.  With his strategy firmly in place he went into execution mode.  During his search he ran into various setbacks and in many cases at the end of the day he was frustrated.  However, he realized that just like in business he would face challenges, but for every challenge he could come up with new methodologies for positioning himself for success.

During his search he found that age discrimination was alive and well.   He knew that if he was going to make his age less of an issue he had to brand himself in such a way that demonstrated his energy, passion and his contemporary spirit.   As part of his branding plan he started working off the 10 pounds he had picked up over the previous few years while attending so many business lunches.  Moreover, he started to focus on getting the rest he needed to look fresh and energetic.  He also updated his wardrobe and put a little color in his hair to diminish the grey.  

Raymond realized that just like marketing a product he had to market himself to a potential employer that has the pick of the liter, and he wanted to be the one who got picked.

The last thing Raymond focused on was his attitude.  He understood that you can have all of the experience and skills in the world, but if your attitude is poor no one will hire you.   Although Raymond was always pretty upbeat, he wanted to make sure that he conveyed an authentic positive attitude even when his search was not yielding the results he wanted.

Armed with all of the arrows he needed in his quiver, Raymond faced the job market with confidence and focus and within 18 months he landed his dream job with a solid company making more money than he had earned at his last job.   Yes, I said 18 months!   No one said it would be easy.  When asked about his journey, Raymond said, “Yes, it was tough and challenging, but I would not change a thing, because I learned so much about myself and who I am deep inside.”

If you are one of the many millions out of work and you are tempted to give up your search, please don’t.   Whether you are looking for an executive, administrative or hourly position, Raymond’s example may be just what you need to land your next position.

Through it all, take comfort in knowing that you are not the only one looking for work and if you remain focused on the outcome of landing your next opportunity, you will.  If you don’t ,you won’t.

There is a company out there needing what only you can offer.  Stay focused!  Stay positive!