Keep Going!

Posted by Chris Webster on 6/05/09 • Categorized as Looking Around with Chris

Career advisors are staying positive and continuing to share their wisdom while economists look for any minute sign of relief that they can possible squeeze out of the statistics.

Meanwhile, job seekers seem to have gone really quiet, there’s not even as much chatter being expressed by the unemployed regarding the frustration of job searching as I saw a month ago. After some tentative exploration, it seems that a resignation high is being experienced. It wasn’t a complete poll or overly thorough so if you’re clients aren’t at this point then be thankful but it makes sense after this long that this would occur.

So is it time to give up until the economy picks up if a job seeker hasn’t found work yet? No, most definitely not! There are still companies hiring and as much as I would love for job searching to be a science the fact that people and cultures are involved means that there is also a definite art involved in job search success.

Albert Einstein stated, ”I think and think for months, for years. Ninety-nine times the conclusion is false. The hundredth time I am right.” If the job search isn’t working then keep refining, keep adjusting, keep looking. I believe, at this point, that we need to remind our clients that a lack of success isn’t a sign of failure as an individual. As advisors and coaches we see the job rejections and ride the waves with ease because we are so accustomed to the normal structure of a job search. Our clients are not use to this ebb and flow and perceive every success or failure as a refection of their personality and skills. The depth that this is experienced emotionally will differ but will still be experienced nonetheless.

We need to remind them of what is normal and, if it’s not normal, change and address the issues to achieve success. It’s not as spectularly positive or empowering as some of the sayings we like to proudly share but maybe the best encouragement we can give our clients is the sense of reality found in Tom Jackson’s definition of a successful job search ” no… no… no… no… no… no… no… no… YES!”

Keep Going!