[05.11.09]

9 great comments!

Job Search . . . It’s A Small World

I’ve had a few ideas burning a hole in my blog planner. They come courtesy of my 10 year old son whose impatience during a recent trip to Disneyland left me inspired. Inspired to send him to his room with no rations for a week. Initially anyway.

You see, my youngest son does not enjoy the rides at Disneyland. His stomach feels funny. Yet the idea of going on a slow, traditional ride brings out a very different reaction. Boredom. And frustration that he is held to account on a ride that he should accept.

The ride that got him going this trip was “It’s A Small World”. As we sliced through the artificially blue waters and reached our halfway point, he said:

“Is this ever going to end?”

Now if you’ve never been on the “small world” ride, this may be a tough one for you. I’ll try to help. Imagine that your iPod gets stuck one day on a song from your 5 year old daughter’s playlist. You get to hear it over and over again. About 50 times. And then, just when you are ready to pull your hair out, you get to hear the song again in about 27 languages. So in the space of about a 10 minute ride, you get to hear the song about 77 times. Well, it feels like it anyway.

Now, having read the paragraph above, you may hear some empathy in those words. Empathy for my 10 year old. And I might have felt empathy had I not been upset that we were unable to go on Space Mountain. Because he didn’t want to go. And I really like Space Mountain.

Back in 2007, during my job search, there were days where I felt the same sentiment. I started to cycle through similar events. Many of the same phone conversations, recruiter introductions, networking events. It started to feel stuck in a cycle that was repetitious and unproductive. I felt, on some days, like I knew how each was going to end.

Some of this is a product of your prior experience – last month or the month before. You may also have heard from other job seekers on their hit ratio. Either way, the solution here has to do with two keys to keeping your search strategy alive and well:

1. Your attitude and expectations

2. Your ability to regenerate a fresh set of opportunities

Simply put, an extended job search (over 3 months, over 6 months) will extend further if you let your mind or strategy get stagnant.

You need a plan. An objective one. And once you are well into implementing that plan, you need to be ready to adjust.

If you have a career coach, you can get regular prodding to keep things fresh and dynamic. If you don’t have a coach, consider a free job search tools that helps you set up a plan and adjust it on a regular basis. This adds confidence (I have a plan) and builds energy (I shift my time to those things that are most adding value).

So, on those days when you scream “stop this ride. I want to get off”!, reach into your backpack, pull out your strategy and pick a new set of options. Identify a few new networks, a few new target companies and head down the breezeway to find another ride that is more your style.

Especially if your stomach starts to feel funny.

TimsStrategy Recommends

The Magic Bullet for a Job Search! (Career Rocketeer)
Valentine’s Day and Your Job Search (Career Rocketeer)

http://www.careershift.com sybil

Great advice Tim. I think job searchers get ‘stale’ after slogging through day in & out and need to take a fresh approach when they feel the ‘small world’ syndrome creeping in. Remember: if you are bored, you’re most likely pretty boring!
http://www.careershift.com sybil

Great advice Tim. I think job searchers get ‘stale’ after slogging through day in & out and need to take a fresh approach when they feel the ‘small world’ syndrome creeping in. Remember: if you are bored, you’re most likely pretty boring!
http://profile.typepad.com/1220292248s14607 Tim Tyrell-Smith

Totally agree on the need for a fresh approach – every week! Thanks Sybil . . .
http://profile.typepad.com/1220292248s14607 Tim Tyrell-Smith

Totally agree on the need for a fresh approach – every week! Thanks Sybil . . .
Ted Vick

I know what you mean. I was looking from 18 months! Alot of ups and downs. It seems that the music will never end!!!
Ted Vick

I know what you mean. I was looking from 18 months! Alot of ups and downs. It seems that the music will never end!!!
http://profile.typepad.com/1220292248s14607 Tim Tyrell-Smith

H Ted – Yes, and as my son said, makes your stomach hurt some days! Thanks for stopping by!
http://profile.typepad.com/1220292248s14607 Tim Tyrell-Smith

H Ted – Yes, and as my son said, makes your stomach hurt some days! Thanks for stopping by!
http://www.writeabio.com/ Daly

Exactly! If it’s not working (the strategy) you have to drop it. Of course, it doesn’t mean that it’s entirely wrong. It can simply mean that it’s not time for that sort of strategy.

Job Search . . . It’s A Small World

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