Rekindle the Romance With Your Career!

Have you fallen out of love with your working life? Struggling to remember the passion you used to feel for your job, or the fulfilment it used to bring? It’s time to get that spark back and find true love again!

Learning to love yourself

I’ve been single since 2009 – in my working life, that is. After a fulfilling 14-year relationship with my career in recruitment, I decided it was time to strike out on my own and discover the freedom of the single life by starting my own business.

In order to do so, I had to look back on my relationship with my previous job and remember the good times. I had learned a lot during those 14 years, grown as a person, and discovered what really made me tick – my fascination with resumes and what it was about some that made employers prefer them over others. I realised that I could take this part of my relationship with my previous career and turn it into a productive business of my own, helping others to find true love with the jobs they really wanted. So Karen Tisdell Careers was born.

I’ve discovered that single life is right for me in terms of my career. But whatever form you want your working life to take, it’s important to realise that you actually have a relationship with it, with all the ups and downs and emotional investment that entails. Much like dating, negotiating the job marketplace can be a minefield. It’s important to equip yourself for the life you want by looking at yourself objectively and being confident enough to take a few chances.

What’s your relationship history?

Like our romantic lives, our career choices are shaped by our previous experiences. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a long and happy marriage with the first job they got into on leaving school or college. Many of us don’t even want that kind of relationship, as we want to discover more about ourselves by trying different things in order to find the perfect fit.

Most of us have experienced a few false starts before finding “the one”. Some of us have been through a traumatic work experience as draining as a divorce. Others of us waste time thinking longingly of the one that got away. A redundancy can leave us reeling – despite our employer’s assurances of “It’s not you, it’s me,” we’re still left wondering why we were dropped so fast, and asking ourselves whether there was anything we could have done to make things turn out differently.

Just as in our romantic lives, our previous work experiences have a profound impact on who we are and shape our approaches to the future. But if you want to find true happiness in the end, it’s essential to dust yourself off and get back in the game.

Would like to meet...

That one glance across a room can be all it takes to spark someone’s interest in you. It’s exactly the same with your resume. This is why it’s important to make sure you can be seen in all the right places, to give you the best chance of finding a perfect match. In addition to ensuring your LinkedIn profile is complete (tips here), with the right keywords to capture attention, uploading your resume to job boards is the ideal way to start - just like joining online dating sites. Seek is particularly good, as it is actively and inexpensively selling its vast database of resumes to recruitment agencies.

Just like a glance across a room, your resume should capture attention and make the other person want to know more about you. It should contain the vital information that makes them want to invite you on a date (an interview, in the recruitment world) without giving too much away. It’s important not to overwhelm the other person by revealing too much too quickly.

For better, for worse

So you’ve found your perfect job – now how do you make sure it stays that way? As in all relationships, there are going to be ups and downs. There will be times of great excitement and periods of boredom. You should always go into a job with realistic expectations.

If difficult times come, think of the steps you would take to keep a relationship alive. Remember what made you want this particular job so badly in the first place. Try to stay attentive and interested – undertaking some study can be a great way of finding deeper meaning in your career and keeping things fresh. Ask yourself whether you are contributing enough – remember, all good relationships are 50:50, give and take. Giving a little bit more than you are asked for can go a long way to demonstrating your commitment and getting more appreciation.

Being grateful for what you have is an essential part of keeping the romance alive and making sure that nobody else is capable of taking your place!

You shall go to the ball!

The world of career relationships is a minefield, but it’s one that’s worth putting the effort into in order to secure your happiness. Should you need some help navigating the minefield, I’m here at 123 Pitt Street, Sydney, to help make your resume and profile irresistible at first sight!

Karen Tisdell ? 0404 083 678 ? [email protected] ? Resume Writer ? LinkedIn Enthusiast ? Speaker ? Creator of Profiles that win you the work you want...

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