Heat Up Your Job Search This Summer
Share
Three weeks ago I met with a new client, Rich. He expressed urgency because he has been out of work for eight months. We discussed the career history information necessary to create his resume. After following up with Rich, he said he would need a few more days. In five days, I called again and Rich replied that he would be visiting friends in Seattle for a several days and probably would not have a chance to work on this. He did say once again that he is very excited about his job search. Really? Well, now I can see why Rich has been unemployed for eight months. There are thousands like Rich. Maybe you are a bit like Rich.



The point of this frustrating story is that it can be easy for a job searcher to become passive, especially in the summer. It seems like everyone else is talking about summer vacations. There is so much going on to distract a job seeker – not to mention the mind games we play with ourselves. One may say, “When will I ever have this much time off without being accountable to an employer?” I say, “Be accountable to yourself (and in some cases a family) by protecting your financial well-being. Another rationale might be that we worked long hours for so many years that we deserve a break to refresh ourselves before we get back into the grind. I say, “The more time that passes, the more challenging your personal, financial, and career situation becomes.”



There is also a tendency to use the non-working time to do those things we never get to do. It may seem like opportunities for once-in-a-lifetime trips at a price that will “never be that low again” are popping up. Trust me that opportunities for great travel will arise again. Also, when you delay your trip for a time when you are employed and financially secure, you will enjoy the trip even more. When the time is right, you may want to visit Lonely Planet, a site with advice on taking almost any type of vacation within a reasonable budget. That is just one of many resources online.



So, now that your priorities are straight again, heat up your job search! Avoid those mental gremlins that aim to foil your strategy! Put your plan in writing and work your job search plan on a daily basis. If you are unemployed, you should be working on your career a minimum of five hours per day. That can be comprised of professional development courses, research, outreach, and networking. Many successful job seekers commit eight hours daily to outpace their competition. When you get that call for the week at the beach house free of charge, remember it is not free. Every day that you are not working is costing you.