Six Ways Job Search is like Gardening

I spent most of the weekend outside pulling, tending, mourning and loving my garden. Like everything I do – I started to connect it with job search. There are probably 100 articles on this topic already, but here is my take. I am talking about gardens that produce food, gardens of great substance and job searches that land you your ideal job, not just any job.

1. Cutworms.

I don't like cutworms. Cutworms are stubby worms that are so wimpy they only devour the teeniest of plant sprouts and kill them. They aren’t that smart. If you find that some of your new seedlings have no tops, just dig one to three inches around the poor plant and you’ll surely find a cutworm. They are mostly a problem when the plant is in its first eight weeks of growth.

Cutworms exist in job search too. They are the people who are in your vicinity that give you negative feedback, that hassle you about your search, that tell you to lower your standards when you are first starting out. They can sometimes take all the positive growth you have done and bite it back to where you might feel hopeless. Dig those worms out of your life. They aren’t serving you and you don’t need to believe what they say. They are not smart; they stay close because they feel powerful preying on the weak. Keep your head up and keep growing. Once you're standing a little bit taller they aren’t strong enough to hurt you.

2. Planning

Abundant gardens with high yields are usually planned. The gardener researches companion plants and finds out what grows well together. They make sure the pumpkin plant is near the edge so its heavy vines don’t demolish the tomato plants. I start my garden by dreaming about what I want to eat and then sketch it out on a blank piece of paper.

It is easier to find a job when you have a plan about the kind of job you want. What kind of job do you want to do for the next few years? What will grow well with what you have already done? Where do you grow well and what kind of co-workers do you do your best work around?

3. Weeding

Before I start putting in seeds or plants, I have to pull out all the weeds. I pull the weeds so that new plants have room to grow and thrive.

It is the same with job search, not everything you have done is going to contribute to a great search, there are jobs and skills that you don’t want to use in your search anymore. Pull those out of your resume and LinkedIn. Clean up what you have and fill the gaps with skills you actually want to showcase. Leave room for better stories to grow.

4. Patience

Many of the things I planted are just seeds right now. In 30 - 90 days the yard will look incredibly different and be full of nourishing opportunities. I can’t make them speed up and I can’t spend the next few months obsessively looking at the garden. I also can’t be digging up those same plants and examining them over and over – it will hurt their roots and they might die on me.

It is the same with the jobs you apply for and the calls you make, sometimes it just takes time for the opportunity to blossom.  Be patient. Don’t over check emails or follow up too often with your network. Give the work you have done some time to filter through your network.

5. Tools

Tools make the gardening easier. I am able to dig deeper and faster, cut thick old roots, and support the weaker stems.

In job search you need tools before you go out there. Common tools include a resume, your LinkedIn profile, the internet for research and sometimes a coach. If you go out into the market without these tools you might miss an opportunity. Gather your tools, it will make the planting easier.

6. Love, light and water

I plant every seed with the intention that it will fully express itself.

Every networking connection you make, every resume you send out, every conversation you have can have that intention behind it. May every opportunity be fully realized. It means putting in effort, staying hopeful, putting in the time, nourishing yourself along the way by sleeping and exercising, and doing all the things that keep you healthy.

All the best is planting a wonderful garden of career opportunities.

If you need help with growing your career search, whether is it getting some tools, creating a plan or learning how to cope with human cutworms, reach out to talk with me.

Happy gardening!

About Me (Kerri Twigg)

I have helped people gain confidence in themselves through their stories for over 15 years. I am a career coach who has worked with clients ranging from accountants to robotic engineers. Most clients express how supported they feel in making informed decisions about their career. I am serious about it, but also know that landing an ideal job also includes a little magic and luck, combined with great resumes and knowing what skills you are selling. 

You can contact me at [email protected].

My website is www.career-stories.com