A force 10 future

'Job search is like many other behaviours - it is what you think, what you say and what you do that will help determine your next opportunity.' G.

A person I had previously helped contacted me today to say he had just been retrenched and asked if I had any suggestions for his path ahead. 

I fired off a quick response and later thought I might just share my thoughts in case I can help anyone else. I offered 10 suggestions that could be a force for his future.

Here are my 10

1.    Take a day or two to reflect on the last job - what have you accomplished in that job and ask for your former employer’s endorsement for your new capabilities.

2.    Reflect on your last CV - how do you update it to reflect the evidence you have for achievements and skills gained in your last job?

3.    Get honest feedback - what has the last job given you; and can you point to skills growth to which others will attest.

4.    Has recent skills growth changed your perspective on your ideal job or the jobs you might next reach for.

5.    Start looking-up, approaching and nurturing connections now. Right now there are better opportunities. You have new skills, there is growth in some industries (post COVID decisions) and there are others who have stopped looking for or stopped trying to get work.

6.    Read economic and business pages to identify the opportunities at the moment and directly approach people whose needs match your skills (or your fresh enthusiasm).

7.    Set yourself targets - personal approaches, connections, applications that you will do every week. Keep connecting and reconnecting until you get a YES, a NO or an indication of WHEN.

8.    Keep going back to anyone who does not say a definite NO - until they give you a WHEN, or they sense your enthusiasm and say YES (or they say NO).

9.    Turn any conversation into a lead - who might a connection know who is (or might be) looking for an employee like you or looking for the employee you aspire to be.

10. Reflect everyday - what did you do today that is getting you closer to your job goal and what are you going to do to get employment tomorrow? Keep it all in a journal by writing it down. Notice and record all the little things that go well and how you are harnessing those little things every day to improve your focus today and your action the next day (and every day after that). Results follow action and even smarter action requires reflection and insight.

Turning actions into habits

So, they are the 10 things I suggested and anyone can keep building on this list to make it into a continuous learning circle for themselves. Find out what works, stop doing what doesn't work (or stop doing what you have already done and do not need to do again).

Develop what you learn into a minimum 5 actions that become habits that you do every day to take you forward to that next job opportunity. 

Best wishes to you but do not rely on wishes – it is what you think, what you say and what you do that will help determine your next opportunity.

#selfleadership #mentoring #jobsearch #opportunity #emotionalintelligence