Recipe For Success.
Job Seekers Can Brew Their Own Chicken Soup

Contributed by Sheri Graves

It’s the first question asked upon meeting somebody new. It comes right after introductions. It’s the dreaded, “What do you do?”

The question strikes terror in the heart of the unemployed. That’s because so much of our identity and self-worth comes from the work we do to earn a living.

Bouncing back after a layoff is no easy task. It involves deep and uncomfortable self-evaluation to determine just what it is we want out of life. It demands clarity of focus and the determination to do whatever is necessary.

Chicken soup for the job seeker begins with a recipe for self care. Start with a dash of humility. Admit you need help, and then get it:

• Make an appointment with a psychologist, therapist, counselor, job coach or employment specialist who can help you do a skills assessment and define your career goals. This is a process that can take months, so don’t expect immediate results.

• Make an appointment with your physician and have all routine lab work done. You won’t have the strength to look for a new job if you aren’t healthy. Also, your doctor can recommend an exercise regimen to keep you fit.

• Establish a regular routine for exercise. Because exercise causes the body to release endorphins into your brain, it will help you stave off the depression that often accompanies unemployment. Also, you want to look your best for potential employers, so using your unemployment time to get into shape is a good investment.

Now that you have established a healthy mix of psychological and physiological well being, it’s time to add a spoonful of altruistic self-help:

• Volunteer your professional services to a local non-profit organization for a few hours each week. This will give you the sense of doing something worthwhile. At the same time, it gives you a current “occupation” for your resume and provides opportunities for you to meet other professionals who may like your style enough to hire you to work for their own companies.

• Join a professional organization through which you are likely to meet others in your line of work as well as people who may have need of your services. Select a group that offers a mentorship program for its members or seek out a mentor for yourself from among the members you meet at club gatherings. Use the group for networking purposes.

Stir well. You are combining psychological and physiological well-being with worthwhile activities designed to move you forward in your job hunt. At this point, you’re ready to begin adding the ingredients of a successful job search:

• Get out of bed and get dressed every morning as though going to work. Nothing feeds depression more than assuming the fetal position and pulling the covers over your head.

• Update your resume. Design several different resumes, each highlighting your skills in such a manner as to allow you to go after a range of positions rather than just one kind of job.

• Make a schedule for yourself that includes at least four hours per day of actual job searching during which time you peruse newspaper ads, online job search engines, web sites of target employers and telephone networking. Use this time to schedule informational interviews, write thank-you notes and research potential employers.

Fold these new ingredients into your ever-growing mixture. Keep in mind that finding a job is a job in itself. Also, keep in mind that finding a job is all about taking risks. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

While your job search concoction is simmering, use your unemployment time to upgrade your skills. Go to workshops, seminars and classes where you can learn new things and keep abreast of changing technology.

Enroll in any computer training that can advance your career. For example, if you notice that most ads for the positions you want require applicants to use Excel®, take an Excel interactive tutorial or get some Excel spreadsheet training. Keep in mind that free computer based training is available. Do online keyword searches to find the new software or tutorials needed.

No job search is easy. But, a little self-brewed chicken soup can go a long way toward preparing you for success.

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About the Author:
Sheri Graves is a freelance writer living in Santa Rosa, California.

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