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Find a Job: The Good, the Not so Good, and the “You’ve got to be Kidding Me.”
Maybe you saw it coming. Maybe you didn’t. The bottom line—your position has been outsourced/downsized/restructured/taken off the org chart.
You’ve had “the conversation” with the HR rep, your box of desk stuff is sitting in the back of your car, and you’re wondering what to do next. Everything has just tipped upside down.
In previous postings I’ve offered tips and best practices on getting your resume noticed and acing your interview. This posting will introduce you to the good, the not so good, and the ”You’ve got to be kidding me” of finding a job.
The Good.
- People want to support you.
- You have skills, talents, and experience that will help you land somewhere else.
- You’ve just gotten a few extra days off this year.
The Not so Good.
- It’s probably going to take awhile to find that next job.
- The competition for each job opening will require you to step up your game.
- Staying in your pajamas all day or going for weeks without shaving could become your new reality. (Stay in the “land of the living.”)
“You’ve got to be Kidding Me.”
- Potential employers don’t do a great job of following-up. Your resume could be in the “A pile” being reviewed by the top executives, or it could be floating in cyber space. It’s a toss up.
- You will grow weary of people asking, “So how’s the job search going?” You just don’t have a new answer or a clever way to say, “Frustrating.”
- You may go from making a very nice salary with benefits and perks to being turned down for a $12.50/hour job. It defies logic. It’s the 8th Wonder of the World.
So what do you do with the good, the not so good, and the “You’ve got to be kidding me”? You move through them. So much of the job search process is out of your control. Some of it is frustrating, disappointing, and challenging, but life will go on.
- Know yourself.
- Be yourseslf.
- Sell yourself.
You are the subject matter expert on you. Nobody knows you better than you do. And your focus will be on telling your story–putting your experience, education, and skills and talents into a package that stands out from all the rest.
You’ve entered a transition. There’s no manual that will tell you exactly what your experience will look and feel like. But there are a lot of resources available to guide you through the journey.
Your next steps:
- Move the box containing your office stuff from the back of your car to your hall closet.
- Give yourself a couple days to get used to the fact that your employment situation has changed.
- Breathe.
You are still a person with skills, talents, and abilities that are uniquely yours. You still have a place in the work world—we just need to get to your next stop. Focus on “the good.” Reach out to your friends. Think about what you want in your next job.
Take one step. And then another. And then another. And then another…
