Think you have the speed, endurance, and know-how to fix what's broken? Bet not. The smartest people in the world are those who can leave their ego at the door, and know when its wise to seek help.
Since crashes are usually preventable, when is it a good time to seek professional assistance?before or after the disaster? Talk to local firehouse or police headquarters and they'll chant the mantra, "Prevention rules." Smarter to avert the fire or crime, rather than fight it later. It costs much more after-the-fact. Same goes for your job search.
? Gain better, faster exposure to opportunity and decision makers by setting a career foundation that's heavy on target marketing.
? Provide personalized solutions to employer needs and you'll free yourself from the arduous process of blasting resumes blindfolded or performing cold-call networking to strangers.
? Architect a master design to get there before you make your move instead of working it out on the fly, and you'll be prepared for any contingency.
Jo Ann Ridge, Vice President of the e-Commerce Group for R.L. Stevens & Associates Inc., http://interviewing.com/ a 24-year old international career marketing firm headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, who recently celebrated her 19th year with the organization says, "Most people don't realize that their career affects every aspect of their lives." She asked one attorney if he ever had a bad day at work and he responded that he's had a "bad day" for the past five months. Yikes.
There are five key reasons why workers won't seek answers sooner and resist outside help. All are threaded with personal pride and paralysis of analysis:
? "I took the wrong career path at the beginning, and now I feel stuck"
? "I failed to see the writing on the wall, and thought my job role was safe"
? "If I make a change now, I'm afraid I'll lose and end up in worse shape"
? "I don't have the time to locate the best opportunities that fit me"
? "I'm financially leveraged to the hilt, and need a certain salary to keep afloat"
Sound like something you've said recently? If so, you're guaranteeing a job search crash because your lopsided motivations are like a bad virus. It'll rapidly infect the core operating system of your drive to succeed.
"The race to surpass your competition is won at the starting gate not at the finish line. You need to know exactly where you're going, how to get there, and what to do when your win appears to be a long-shot," says Ridge, a horse enthusiast whose office in Louisville, Kentucky is a sprint from Churchill Downs, the premier Thoroughbred racetrack known as the Home of the Kentucky Derby.
The quest to locate a great career is no longer the smooth ride you envision. Lots of bumps and unexpected curves in today's overcrowded job market. Think you can take the reins solo and gallop in the right direction and do so at a pace that reflects your sense of urgency? Get real. That mindset is about as reckless as constantly rebooting your computer every time it freezes. You're not tackling the root cause. Professional intervention rescues your time, your emotional stability, and yeah, your productivity.
Ridge gives her top three career queries to steer your need for professional job search assistance:
? When was the last time you awoke and were excited about going to work?
? When was the last time your career reflected purpose and passion?
? How has the stress of career change negatively altered your personality and your business and personal relationships?
"Finding a job is easy. Landing a great meaningful career is a whole lot harder," Ridge warns. "It's a lot like deciding you want to get your body in shape. You have two choices. You can buy a book or video and get an outcome similar to nailing Jell-O to a wall. Or you can make the smart choice to invest in yourself, bring in some accountability and head to the gym," she adds.
Outsourcing core aspects of your job search is simply brilliant strategy by design. It can be the difference of a job by chance, or a career by choice.
Marta Driesslein, CECC is a management consultant for R.L. Stevens & Associates Inc. http://interviewing.com/
For over 24 years R.L. Stevens & Associates has been the Nation's most successful privately-held firm, specializing in executive career searches generating quality interviews through both advertised and unadvertised channels.
It has been over twenty five years since I started... Read More
You've probably been taught not to stereotype people based on... Read More
Telephone interviews are becoming more popular these days. Whether that's... Read More
Maybe "buck" is better referred to as the Boss' Challenge.... Read More
Ever wonder if you are in the right career? If... Read More
Has this ever happened to you: You have been working... Read More
As the business sections of today's papers and magazines read... Read More
Writing a cover letter can be like cleaning your garage... Read More
Yes, it's still possible to be upwardly mobile in America:... Read More
Common sense appears to be a rare commodity these days.... Read More
There are several ways to work from home. Some of... Read More
America may be the Land of Opportunity, but this is... Read More
Q. "I wasn't happy with my last performance review. Should... Read More
Let me introduce you to Ben. He made it happenBen... Read More
In this day and age it can become increasingly difficult... Read More
An Employment Screening OutlinePolicy DevelopmentA policy of Factual Employment Screening;... Read More
For decades, women have chaffed at the invisible glass ceiling... Read More
Many years ago searching for a federal job was a... Read More
You've taken the police officer selection test or law enforcement... Read More
The thought of writing a resume intimidates... Read More
Going for a job interview can be a harrowing experience.... Read More
Chances are if you're reading this you've thought about becoming... Read More
The Internet is the most powerful employment tool on earth.... Read More
You've had 3 interviews with a potential employer and they've... Read More
Do you want to double, or increase significantly you're income... Read More
Yesterday I was having a discussion with Mary who I... Read More
Qualifications" or "Personal Profile") uses bullets and succinct wording to... Read More
Managing your career, just like managing your life, requires preparation... Read More
Several times a year, I hear someone complain about the... Read More
One of the greatest threats facing both employees and the... Read More
One of the responsibilities of a human resources professional is... Read More
This question comes up often when I'm working with someone... Read More
It's amazing how we fool ourselves... while at the same... Read More
Is Monday the worst day of your week? Can you... Read More
My first job was secretary to Moses. Having to transcribe... Read More
All Presidential candidates (before and after) make all kinds of... Read More
"R-E-S-P-E-C-T / find out what it means to me" is... Read More
How will you respond when you're asked the following two... Read More
For many people, interviewing is not a natural act any... Read More
A powerful resume starts with a good statement of objective.... Read More
In the current climate, many people are looking away from... Read More
Chuck was the best of the twenty-four candidates. Still, he... Read More
Then let me start by helping out. The politically correct... Read More
After completing their translation training programmes at higher professional education... Read More
First of all, to fully understand and appreciate the answer,... Read More
For far too long, we moderns have relied on our... Read More
The economy is picking up, budgets are new, positions are... Read More
Searching for a job can be a daunting and confusing... Read More
Research suggests that as many as 8 out of 10... Read More
You're a scientist, you're very well educated, you're intelligent, and... Read More
As a head-hunter and Career Coach I see so many... Read More
Feeling that it never works is not a good excuse.... Read More
Unemployment is depressing: financial pressures stress you out, looking for... Read More
How is your job hunting going? Have you had problems... Read More
There is much to say about posting resumes on the... Read More
Job-hunting is not the most exciting thing in the world... Read More
Ever wonder if you are in the right career? If... Read More
When more than half of Americans were identified as overweight,... Read More
Jack, downsized from his last job, was frozen in a... Read More
Today's society has created an environment that requires business owners... Read More
There is little doubt that Americans still have a deep... Read More
Q. I'm looking for a new job and plan to... Read More
Millions of people everyday spend eight hours or more in... Read More
Often you see job postings with a request such as... Read More
What do you want to be when you grow up?... Read More
The tragedy for millions of people is that they never... Read More
Careers, Jobs & Employment |