Job hunting with a difference!
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Become the creator of your own destiny!
Misperceptions exist about what is the best way to go about finding a good job. Many people think the only two ways to find a job are to look for it in the newspapers or to use the internet to submit their CV. The problem with both these methods is that you are shifting the responsibility onto a third party, which means that if it does not work, you have something else to blame. And while you are waiting for response, you can sit back and practise your negative mindset.
You must have a focus and plan and stick to it to even begin a Job Market search.
I have tried to cover the most important issues here, but if you still have unanswered questions, please let me know and I will email you a copy of our info product - How to effectively market yourself. Just enter the title in the subject line of the email.
Step 1: Ensure that you have a professional CV drawn up.
Your only chance is to use the first 30 seconds to make a lasting impression. And if you struggle with drawing up your own CV, let me help.
Step 2: Know what you want.
If you are not sure about the position you really want, how much chance do you have finding it?
You cannot send your CV out to every available job and hope for the best. You need a game plan to find the perfect job!
Step 3: Target positions that you know you can handle.
Read the ads and see if you fit all the requirements listed. You would not want a mechanic to cut your hair? It is important to apply for positions that you know you can handle. And remember there is more ways than just using the newspapers or internet.
Step 4: Believe in yourself.
It rarely happens that anybody lands a job on the first attempt. Use this to your advantage; you have an opportunity to practice your interviewing skills. We all know that we only become better with practice. But always believe in yourself - do not take it personally and do not become negative. And if you need somebody to talk to - I am just a phone call or email away.
Step 5: If all else fails.
BUT, if you still can't find a job, consider starting your own income generator. It could be something as simple as baby-sitting or pet-sitting or maybe you can create something.
It doesn't matter what it is, as long as you give it a try. And let me share something here, the minute you start actively using the universe, the universe in turn will send countless opportunities your way. That is the way of life. The more you give, the more you will receive.
It is also true that the more you dwell in negativity and depression, the more you will receive of it. The universe will only give what you ask for. So, you must decide today, are you going to give more negative thoughts, or are you going to start giving positive so that you may receive lots more positive back?
Only you can decide.
Next time you feel like complaining, start counting your blessings and pretty soon you will forget about how terrible things are for you. Have you ever tried being cross while you are smiling?
OVER 40’S
Contrary to what you might think, the over-40s who have the greatest success in getting work are those who have a clear understanding of what they want and the motivation to succeed. Creating a meaningful future has surprisingly little to do with your work history, yet many of us spend time worrying about what we have or haven’t done in our working lives, and blame ourselves when things go wrong. Your success depends on your mind set and how positive or negative your outlook is.
The CV that attract attention are the ones that reflect a person who knows what they want and who has turned their past into achievements that can add value for the employer, and who is confident and capable of taking on a new working role. The CV that stir doubts are those that provide incomplete or scanty work histories and that give no indication of the person’s unique skills, achievements or abilities.
Due to these reasons developing your midlife career change CV needs to happen alongside some serious career planning. If you do one activity without the other you are likely to find it difficult to find work and/or be competitive against other candidates.
Here are 5 great ways NOT to get a job (but which make it look like you're trying):
1. Live in the past
To ensure you don't find a job, just stay focused on the past. Keep talking about all the things you've done, all the experience you've had (Remember the When we’s?).
This is what I call walking forward but looking behind you all the time. Not only can’t you see where you are going, you are missing wonderful opportunities along the way.
Instead take all the good that you've done and focus on the value you can create in the future for employers and clients, the problems you can solve, the results you can deliver, the transferable skills you can offer.
2. Play the blame game
To guarantee you don’t find a job just blame someone - anyone!
After all, it's not your fault you're struggling to find work - it's the government, the greedy bankers, your incompetent employers, the hopeless recruiters, your mother-in-law, the next door neighbour's dog and of course ......."The Recession" - the very best excuse for 20 years to play the blame game and do nothing!
Yes, we can all do this very well, but I doubt you will find a job like this.
So, best advice here is get over it, take personal responsibility for your situation and move on. No amount of blaming will change your situation, no amount of being miserable will help you feel better, so why waste precious time on things you have no control over. You have all the power to change the present.
3. Hide behind your computer
This has become the great escape. How often have you sat down in front of your computer with good intentions only to end up playing online games or poking a few people on Facebook for a few hours?
This is the most comfortable way of finding a job, don’t you agree? You can sit in your PJ's in front of your laptop, apply for a few random jobs, send your CV to the same recruiters and job sites that everyone else is emailing and then sit back and say "Oh, I'm working sooo hard on my job search - but there's simply nothing out there!"
The internet, email and social media are just "tools." Ultimately it's your relationships with people, not technology, which will help you find a job. Getting out there, speaking, meeting and engaging with people in the real world. But only do that if you really want a job.
4. Wait 3 days before following up a lead
You've seen a job ad or been given a warm lead. How about you procrastinate, put off the call for a few days until you've perfected your CV or put off making the call until tomorrow when you feel better about yourself? That way, by the time you apply, the warm lead is cold, the job advert is inundated with other people so you don't get to interview stage at all.
Need I say more? In a tight job market, speed is of the essence - so act NOW, not later.
5. Be desperate
Having a beggar’s stance will really get you the job. You have experienced it enough to know how really off putting this can be. Desperate people just don’t find the job, full stop. Although this probably works well for all who don’t want the job, because we can really feel sorry for ourselves.
The only way to overcome this is to be open-minded and flexible, but also be confident and self-assured in the way you conduct yourself. Believe you're someone who has some value to offer - and then behave accordingly.
The Choice between Career and Money
One of the biggest reasons people end up in jobs they hate is that they choose careers which offer the most opportunity for making the most money.
Whether you choose to remain in corporate life or leave it altogether, above all, you want to make sure that you end up working at something that you love instead of working just for the money. Working at something just for the money is something fearful people do. It is a sign of their lack of self-confidence in their ability, talent, and creativity to earn money doing something they enjoy.
If you feel that work is just a job, a way to make money, you are wasting forty or more hours a week of your life. You are stealing life from yourself by spending time on routine and drudgery instead of spending time doing something that you really enjoy. Working strictly for the money usually leads to one or more of the following negative outcomes:
Consequences of Working Solely for the Money
N Feelings of disillusionment, dissatisfaction, and unhappiness
N Feeling continually stressed, which impacts one’s health as well as relationships with family and friends
N Feeling underpaid regardless of how much money one earns
N Feeling unprepared or unable to accept a job that pays less money
N Compromising one’s integrity by working for a company that is unethical
N Winding up in debt due to constantly buying oneself material goods as a reward for working at a lousy job
N A lack of creative fulfilment
N A feeling of imprisonment while at the workplace
N A lowered sense of overall self-worth
N A lack of self-confidence to pursue a much more enjoyable career
Clearly, money is important in the areas of life where it is important and useless in areas of life where it is not important.
