Sorry, it’s not a bad a dream. Yes, the summer is really over, Labor Day weekend is behind us, and you are back to your soul-sucking, dreary...

Sorry, it’s not a bad a dream. Yes, the summer is really over, Labor Day weekend is behind us, and you are back to your soul-sucking, dreary, tortuous dead-end job.

By Jack J. Kelly

To make matters worse, since everyone else is also back from vacation, and returning to their own stultifying jobs, the trains are overcrowded, highways congested, and buses belching toxic fumes into the atmosphere slowly killing us all.

The weather will soon start getting colder, the days shorter, nights longer, and we confront the stark anniversary of 9/11 which serves as a grim reminder of the short precious time we all have in this lifetime.

Not surprisingly, your boss is more of a jerk now that he is actually back in his too big and underserved office and not in the Hamptons. Also, your coworkers are as petty, nasty, nosey, vindictive, and backstabbing as ever.

There are three ways to deal with your new cold splash in the face of reality.

1.       Resign yourself to a horrible, painful work life and pray for a quick death to end the misery.

2.       Take control of your career and embark upon a program to advance within your current organization.

3.       Seek out a new awesome job with greater upside potential, an understanding and supportive manager/mentor, comradery with colleagues, and much more money.

If you selected number 1, sorry I cannot help you. For those who are bold, forward thinking, confident, open to a new adventure, and selected 3, I am your go-to-guy!

Let’s get started. No tomorrow, no next week, no “I’m waiting until the New Year”.  We start right here, right now, and here is the game plan.

1.       Review your LinkedIn profile and really put some effort into it. Make sure you have a great picture, are easily searchable by recruiters and hiring managers, have complete compelling content about your jobs and responsibilities, and include your academic history.

2.       Dust off the old resume and update it. Leave off the objective if you aren’t a recent college graduate without any experience, loose the lame email address, and remember that no one cares that you mowed lawns one summer in high school, and stay away from references to handing out flyers while campaigning for candidates as it will alienate half of the people that read your resume.

3.       Open-up your wallet and spring for a decent wardrobe that makes you look like a winner. If you don’t have fashion sense, find someone who does. Nothing makes a guy look more lame then wearing a tie that looks like it was in the closet since the 80s, glasses that are a decade out of style and a Mens Warehouse  two-for-one suit that is either two sizes too small or one that makes you look like a little kid wearing your dad’s hand me downs.

4.       Call up three reputable and respected Recruiters that specialize in your area of expertise.

5.       Set-up an in-person meeting to ensure that you mesh with the Recruiter and that he/she strikes you as someone who can get you the job you want as opposed to selling you on the few jobs that they have.  If the Recruiter cannot make a favorable impression on you, their office is shabby, and they just push only one job that has been open for six months, and it doesn’t comport with what you told her you desired, simply say goodbye and leave.

6.       Search job boards such as ComplianceJobs.com, efinancial, Ladders, CareerBuilder, Monster as well job aggregators like Indeed, and LinkedIn.

7.       Send your resume to 5 positions that make sense for your goals and objectives.

8.       Contact a couple of close colleagues, peers, and persons that you respect their judgement and tell them about your search.  Be pushy and pick their brains for ideas and leads.

9.       Talk with your boss or schedule a meeting with her to ascertain what she thinks of you and what the future prospects are for you within the organization.

10.   Join LinkedIn groups that cater to your field including recruiting and job related groups. You can now join up to 100 groups.

11.   Participate in conversations to get your name out there and don’t just be a lurker.

12.   Sign-up for seminars, networking events, and conferences. Then actually put down your phone, step away from your boring friends, introduce yourself and start a conversation with real live people that can help you find a new job.

13.   Check out blogs and newsletters to make sure that you know what is happening in your industry so when you interview they will think you are actually smart and informed.

Okay, I recognize that this may be a little ambitious but I want to push you otherwise we both know you won’t do anything and put it off.  You will claim, “Hey, the first week back is slow and people are still on vacation”.  Even if that is the case, so what?  Just get started!

We only have a small window of opportunity to work with; September, November then into mid-December. Once we hit the holidays the hiring process slows down again. Take advantage of this short-term opportunity while your competition is still summer brain-dead, distractedly gazing out the window at nothing in particular, feeling bad for himself, and drool running down his chin. There will be less competition and you can shine and stand out. Once the New Year comes, it is like New Year’s eve itself, everyone is out and annoying you. Use this time wisely.

If you would like, feel free to call me at 212.997.3166 to talk. Also, email me at[email protected] and check out my other articles, blogs and podcasts on www.ComplianceX.com

Welcome back.