Rebounding in Jobhunting

Growing up with the NBA in the 90s, I was a fan of the Chicago Bulls. Besides the dynamic duo, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, there is a key player that made a huge difference to the team.?

Dennis Rodman plays the small forward position and he won the championship 5 times. To his fans, Dennis is known as the “greatest rebounder of all time”, averaging 13.1 rebounds in every game. It is very entertaining to watch him play!?

In jobhunting, we are sometimes faced with a difficult situation. In my 10 years in Executive Search, I have heard all kinds of reasons that senior executives and professionals may lose their jobs.?

Restructuring and reorganization are the most common reasons. International firms may pull out from a market. Companies may go bankrupt or be hit by a scandal. There are also crises like the Lehman Brothers crisis, Asian Financial crisis (known as Tom Yam Kung crisis in Thailand), and most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic crisis.?

In short, the list can go very long.?

As a jobhunter, you need to be vigilant and prepared at all times. Besides having a rainy day fund (sufficient cash to last for 6 to 12 months for your household), you also need to ensure that you can rebound quickly.?

Here are three recommendations:?

Hustle: Just like how Dennis Rodman always run/jump/leap/dive for the ball, we need to treat our jobhunting process with much heart and rigor. Half-hearted efforts will not help you. If you are retrenched, the first thing to do, besides updating your CV, is to set up a rigorous jobhunting calendar. You need to treat your jobhunting process as a full-time job, i.e. 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. If you are only putting in 2 hours a day, and use the remaining time to tend to your neglected spouse/children/house/garden/farm/workshop/storeroom, then the outcome will not be effective.

While taking a sabbatical sounds very attractive and probably well-deserved, don’t forget that finding the next job is not easy and straightforward.?

Hone your skills: It is widely known that Dennis Rodman studies the ball a lot. He practiced a lot about the angle of the ball. He learnt the trajectory of the ball. He knew how many times the ball would spin in the air. He studied individual player’s shots (Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan all shoot differently). He is highly dedicated to his job!?

How much time do you spend in honing your skills? Are you an expert/specialist? Do you have cross-functional skills? What about understanding business and P&L? Are you upgrading your digital skills? Have you experimented with ChatGPT? Can you hold a conversation about the economy??

Don’t just be good enough. Be the best in your field. Seek to improve a little every day. Your skills and knowledge are essential for your rebound.?

Look out for your mates: As a rebounder, Dennis’s job is to grab the ball that his teammates or opponents didn’t manage to score. After grabbing the ball, he must pass to a teammate and create the opportunity to score.?

While you are having a safe and secure job, don’t forget your mates. Your network is the most critical resource for you when you need to rebound. Invest your time and energy to build and nurture your network – so that you can call upon their help!

You need people to refer you to companies. You need information about potential jobs. While keeping a few headhunters close to you is helpful, I always recommend an 80/20 approach. Focus 80% of your time on contacting your mates/ex-colleagues/customers/suppliers/friends/alumni.

Fact: Most jobs these days are not going to the headhunters. We are seen as “the last resort” or “when the going gets tough and messy”.?

In short, we can all rebound in jobhunting. But it is not easy. Letting your opponent grab the ball is easier and requires no effort. If you want to be at the top of your game, you need to hustle, hone your skills, and look out for your mates. Let’s not allow the external circumstances to keep us down for too long!?

Tip: If you are interested in the Chicago Bulls or Basketball, “The Last Dance” docuseries is a great watch!