On The Hunt!

After 6 months of rejuvenating, reflecting, and reevaluating (and quality time with the family), I have begun the hunt for the next career chapter of this life. 

Sounds exciting, and it is, because I'm approaching it with a different lens, and attitude. 

When I was 21 and out of college, I was looking for experience, learning, and just getting in the door. Thirty years later, I'm looking for where I can make the biggest difference, where what I know can be best used for the position, and still staying open to learning new things so that I'm continually improving myself as an employee and a person.

The interesting thing about the "hunt" now, it is more about who I am now, who I  know, and the reputation I've built over the past three decades. This goes back to the "Connections We Make..." and is important for my younger counterparts entering the work environment.

In the past 6 months, I have had lunches with past colleagues, friends from old jobs, and taken to writing on LinkedIn. Those three efforts (which were effortless, btw) have led to two VERY interesting job leads. One, I'm waiting to hear if it gets funded and if it does, it's mine. The other is interesting in that it is the parts of my last job, that I loved, and it's a new position so it would afford some personalization.

For those of us who are in the second era of our work lives, we know who we are, we know what we bring to the table, and we have to be confident going in to the "hunt."

Keep in mind:

1. You have a knowledge base that came from years of failing, learning, and succeeding, so you don't panic.
2. Call your friends/colleagues, have lunch, reconnect and share with them what you're seeking in the job market. NETWORK!
3. You can do "it" because you've probably already "done it."
4. Stick to your plan and don't compromise your heart. Money, sure...heart, no... job title, sure... heart, no. 
5. Smile. Smile? Yes, smile, and show that you are comfortable in your own skin, that you've "got this," and show them the smile they'll see everyday if they hire you.
6. Remember those things that use to drive you nuts as an employer, and proactively explain how you bring solutions... not problems... plus an attitude to get things done. Show how you're an asset that will make their lives easier, and that what you bring is what they need.
7. Don't be afraid to embrace the changes of today like the tech boon you just lived through, the ever-changing business models, and the leaps and bounds of  philosophy. Ride it, own it, embrace it... imagine how ice cutters felt when the refrigerator/freezer was introduced! Adapt. (You probably already have, but I know it can feel daunting at times. It wasn't that long ago that print ads were hand cut and typeset.)

It's all good. You're doing it, you're putting yourself out there to find that position that you can own, contribute to, and hopefully, work for the rest of your career.

You know what you're looking for and you, and you know what you need to take you across the finish line in your career path.

Take a deep breath... counting to four as you breath in through your nose. Hold it for a second. Exhale through your mouth.

Now...
Smile. Be kind. Be present. Be yourself. Show them that their next, best decision is you.