Today’s post is part of the Career Collective, where a few of my friends gather to offer up some suggestions for today’s job seeker. The topic of the month is to provide some transition guidance for job seekers who find themselves either without a job or starting a new one. That’s paraphrased but I am sticking to it.
One of the benefits in beginning any new endeavor—school, relationship or job—is that you have a real chance to hit the reset button on those activities or attitudes that did not work for you.
Please jump over and read the following pieces by the other members of the @CareerCollective.
@KCCareerCoach, Career Chaos, “The Art of Being Gracious: Much Needed in Today’s Job Search,”
@MartinBuckland, Elite Resumes, Career Trends and Transition 2010
@heathermundell, life@work, Kaizen and the Art of Your Job Search
@barbarasafani, Career Solvers, Looking Into the 2010 Careers Crystal Ball
@resumeservice, Resume Writing Blog, The Resume and Your Social Media Job Search Campaign
@kat_hansen, Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog, New Year: Time to Assess Yourself and Your Career
@keppie_careers, Keppie Careers, Help for job seekers in a rut
@heatherhuhman, HeatherHuhman.com, Job seekers: 5 tips for making the most of 2010
@DawnBugni, The Write Solution, Ya, but
@ErinKennedyCPRW, Professional Resume Services, Advice to Job Seekers in 2010–learn Yoga?
@Chandlee, The Emerging Professional Blog, Starfish, JobAngels, and Making a Difference
@ValueIntoWords, Career Trend, Is Your Job Search Strategy a Snore?
@debrawheatman, Resumes Done Write, Making the most of a new year
@walterakana, Threshold Consulting, Starting anew – tips for truly managing your career
@careersherpa, Hannah Morgan: Career Sherpa, The Year of the Tiger
@WorkWithIllness, WorkingWithIllness.com, Dogs Can Do It, Can You?
@JobHuntOrg, Job-Hunt.org, Lifelong Learning for Career Security
@AndyInNaples, Career Success, What Are You Getting Better At? Make This the Year You Become the Best You Can Be!
Back to my original post and idea–Let me give you a couple examples.
1. Letting your associations hinder your own advancement. We all have friends or relatives that sometimes embarrass us. That’s well and good. I am not advocating throwing your friends under the bus just yet. I am talking about associating with the ‘bad’ element inside a company. You know what and who I mean. It is the guy who is always complaining about ‘them.’ Let me tell you…this is not the proven way to advance your career. Now is the time to assess why you seem to attract this person or even better, resolve to associate yourselves with winning, rather than, losing elements. It shows up in small things too. I have a friend who thought if he volunteered to take notes at a board meeting, that would be helpful in his career advancement path. When he mentioned to the CEO that he would like that task, in addition to his other workload, the CEO asked him why? The CEO considered this particular role of no real value, more of a note taker, and far below the value he has assumed for my friend. My friend was wise enough to gracefully back away from that postion. You are who you hang with, and even more importantly, how you choose to spend your time.
2. A personality do-over. I am not advocating a personality change, but maybe a makeover is desirable. Has your shyness hindered your development? Have you always tried to join the cool group? Have you always made improper jokes or references? Have you noticed how most people don’t really include you? When you move into a new company, this is a perfect time to try other approaches. I am not saying to be insincere or not genuine, just be more aware of those things that are in your control, and adjust accordingly. When I was in third grade, my older sister had the brilliant idea that I should be known by middle name instead of my initials. She helped me by putting this new name on all my schoolbooks. When I went to school and announced to all my friends what my new name was going to be, well, you know what happened. I was the laughing stock of Third Grade. That experiment lasted only until recess of the first day. The point is, it is difficult to change how people see you while you are there. But if I had moved to a new school, my new “name” might have had a better chance. Same with you and your new job. Change those things that are not working for you. Go read an old post called “Ten Things to do Today to Be More LIkeable.”
PS: Do me a favor, sign up for the RSS feed up in the top right corner. Thanks. (only if you like what you read.)
PS2: Toby Dayton, CEO of LinkUp and Diggings fame, and I will be conducting one of JT O’Donnell’s webinars she is hosting called “How To Use a Job Board. It is free and you can sign up here.
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Excellent, as usual! Take the careful behaviors we practice in a job search and apply them in the new job. Of course – blindly obvious!
Obvious to some, but not to all, unfortunately. This is the reason we have so many people changing jobs (losing jobs?) every few months.
[Now, what did you say your first name was, GL?]
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GL: Your directness should hit home with many people. I used to hate this saying, but it is absolutely true: “Perception is Reality”. Starting a new job is akin to a “do-over” and it would be wise for all to follow your advice. Love your work!
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I like the idea that when you get a chance at a “fresh start” at a new company you should make the most of the opportunity by testing out new behaviors that you think would improve your chances at success.
GL, A refreshing and fun post as always! Really appreciate your point about making adjustments that are within your control to have the image that will work better for you.
Heather
Career Sherpa and Heather…thanks for your kind comments. There is no better to correct those perceptions. Move on and move up.
This is about as good as it gets… which means a good number of people will likely mangle their attempts to put your plans into action.
GL, thanks for permission to post a link to an alternative take on job seeking. The piece is “How to Job-Proof Your Recession.” It’s… ah, “best practices”… for those who frustrated because doing the “right” thing doesn’t seem to be working and who want an alternative plan that doesn’t challenge them quite so much.
GL,
Great, concrete examples!
It makes sense that one’s reputation is impacted not only by whom they ‘hang’ with but also by how they choose to spend their time. We all have so much choice in both those areas, and sometimes I think we forget that the control IS ours (not outside of us).
A job search transition is the PERFECT time to exercise this control and start making new choices based on areas we want to not only improve, but in which we wish to EXCEL!
Very nice!
Change the things that are not working…YES, you can change things! I recently reviewed a book that suggested that people can actually change their emotional intelligence can be improved and developed – specifically to impact a chance to get a job that is a good fit. So much is in each person’s control. If only everyone acted accordingly. I wonder what would be different.
It should be totally obvious! Alas, it is not obvious to many. This is a great post – you can choose to change behaviors and do things differently when you start something new. It really is an opportunity to begin again in a positive way. Thanks for this post – it really is great!
As my father use to tell me when I was a teenager, “Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are.” Great advice. Don’t associate with the wrong crowd at work and become part of the negative energy that hinders a productive team.
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Great post and haven’t we all seen the people who are intent on being miserable and dragging everyone else down with them? People who walk around with gigantic chips on their shoulders “hating” management, groaning every time new tasks are delegated, spending an inordinate amount of time staring at how much work their co-workers are performing, checking with the authorities and unions on their pay scales, and gossiping during smoke breaks. The down side of giving your friendship and support to these types of people would have to be obvious and yet people don’t see it. If they think employers don’t know who are the agitators they’re very wrong! Your advice is good, you don’t need to throw your friends under the bus, but blindly siding with and following agitators can be career suicide.
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Excellent resources, will really help to boost the career and find the dream job