Dispelling The Myths About Your Job Search

Are you an out-of-work professional?  Been a while?  Or perhaps you are stuck in a job from hell and need to get out of there before you go postal.  Are you starting to feel sorry for yourself?  Maybe dejected, frustrated, overlooked, undervalued, discriminated against, even invisible?  Yeah, well you’re not alone.  The good news is, don’t panic, you can still get a job.  We have to dispel a few myths first, but before that, there are a few key questions you need to answer.  This is not a test and there is no right or wrong answer. 

• You NEED to go to work, but do you really WANT to?  Be nice to stay home and finish that novel, maybe finish that demo CD you wanted to get out, or get your work over to that uptown art  gallery.  Well if that’s what you really want to do, go for it.  I'm not the family you have to feed or answer to.  On the other hand, if you really want to join another accounting firm, help design the next energy efficient rocket booster or design the next tallest habitat for the wealthy, well that won’t be as easy, but you can do it.  Like most things in life, though, there may have to be some trade-offs, depending on the circumstances.

• Next, do you want to keep doing what you’ve been doing all along?  Or is it time to make a change.  The first is easier, that is if you’re good at it.  The second is more difficult, but if you aren’t good at what you’re already doing, and let’s say you’ve had eight jobs in the last ten years as a result of it, you won’t be any worse off looking for something you’re really good at.  It may be harder to get in, but there are ways.  We’ll discuss some of those later on – when I feel like it.  

• So depending on the answer to the last question, the next one would be, what are you really good at?  What do you bring to your next employer that your competition doesn’t?  Besides your hair style of course.  Oh, and your impeccable taste in clothes.  You will need to know yourself pretty well, perhaps make a conscious assessment of who and what you are, what you’ve accomplished in your career and how those accomplishments will add value to your next employer.  (Be careful here.  The answers do not include words or phrases like “dynamic,” “team player,” “ambitious,” “goal oriented,” or, heaven forbid, “out-of-the-box thinker.”)

• And finally, what are you willing to give up to go back to work?  You may find that you’ll need to make a lateral move, or even take a haircut on compensation.  Possibly you may be asked to relocate your family, or leave them for long periods of time.  Maybe you have to take a big step backward in title, or worse, start back in the mailroom.  You may even have to compromise your values, play politics, work in an industry that’s generally frowned down upon.  Long commutes, heavy traffic, too much travel, less benefits, these are all things you may need to consider having to some degree or another (360 to 0) sacrificing.

Before you accept, reject or negotiate an offer there is one thing and one thing only that you need and that’s an offer to accept, reject or negotiate.  Duh!  And before you can reach the point of holding that coveted document between your sweaty thumb and forefinger, you need to get rid of or confirm some preconceived notions, or as I prefer to think of those that you need to get rid of, myths.

First:  There is a tooth fairy. 

Not true.  And if you are out of work AND you want a job, don’t wait for a job fairy to leave one under your pillow, either, because there is none.  If you want a job you will need to get up, preferably in the morning,  get out of bed, shower, shave, curl your hair, whatever it is that you normally do when you go to work, and then go to work.  In this case, your work is looking for a job.  Your tools are a phone, a computer and a printer.  The only attribute required for this job is focus.

Second:  I don’t need a résumé. 

Also false unless you are so well known in your industry that the mere mention of your name requires dusting off the red carpet and rolling it out.  But if that were the case, why are you still looking for a job? And while I'm dispelling that myth, let’s include the next one here.  It is not true that you do not need to update your résumé until it’s necessary.  Your résumé should be a dynamic document during your career, if for no other reason than to keep track of your accomplishments so you can present them when your review comes around.  That way, when you really need it?  Like now because you’re reading this, it should never need more than a tweak to bring it up to date.  So if you don’t already have a résumé, do that now and then come back and finish reading this.  My feelings won’t be hurt.

Third:  I don’t need an action plan; I just need to Google my job title each morning.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.  You need to be game-ready.  In addition to your résumé, you should have a list of your accomplishments for each job you’ve ever held. This is NOT a list of your responsibilities. It should include an explanation of the exact role you played in each of them, the initiatives you took, the leadership you displayed and the decisions you made, perhaps under extreme pressure.  And each of these accomplishments should be footnoted with its contribution to your employers’ goals, preferably quantified in dollars to revenue, cost decreases, loss savings, time reductions, or however else you benchmark your contributions.  This is the value you bring to the table.  Next, you should also have a list of your skill sets. These would include things like software, advanced spreadsheet, database management, leadership, accounting, math, technical, personal and any other skills that are attributable to you.  And you should have a list of your own personal attributes.  Here you can use words like dynamic or out-of-the-box thinker, because no one is going to see any of these lists but you and your proofreader.  The purpose of these lists are to remind you of how good you are.  You need to know that, but in truth, you need to know your limitations as well. 

Fourth:  I’ll never get where I want to be without a degree.  I should have stayed in school and finished the curriculum.

The first statement is false and the second statement would require me to be judgmental.  I don’t know what might have necessitated your reason for not having earned a degree.  Not only that, I don’t care and at this point, neither should you.  It’s history now, and your work history is more meaningful right now, that part of your history which is contained in your résumé and your list of accomplishments.  There is a caveat here, though:  If dropping out of school can demonstrate that you are a quitter you may have to have a solid reason for having done so.  Previous job stability, however, can possibly mitigate that.  Of course, if your job history is such that you had left a series of perfectly good jobs for insane reasons on an almost annual basis, then you are right.  You will not likely get the job you want without the degree and you might want to go back to the start of reread the questions about what you want to do and what you’re willing to sacrifice for a job.  Or you could stay home and watch I Love Lucy reruns.  If you’re going to do that don’t bother reading the rest of this, it won’t help you at all.

Fifth:  I’m out of work; that puts me at a disadvantage.   

Again, false.  Being out of work for the right reasons is not a felony, hell, it’s not even a misdemeanor.  It’s just the way it is.  If the economy is in the toilet at the time, then it’s likely that you’re not the only candidate for a position who is currently unemployed and if the economy is strong, companies still fail or are acquired, jobs become outdated or unnecessary due to technology, functionality becomes redundant, corporate politics can force good people out, and ethical people do not like to work for companies that they know are involved in shady business practices.  Tons more of good reasons for being out of work.  The one thing you must do, however, as your unemployment extends, is to remain topical in your industry.  Know which companies have been acquired, which are making gains and any regulatory changes that may have recently occurred as well as current best practices.

Sixth: Nobody will hire a job hopper; I’ve had too many short term jobs. 

False, but partly true.  Granted, you will have some difficulty finding someone to get past your résumé on that one, so you may have to create a résumé that focuses extensively on your achievements and skills instead of your job history.  If the reasons for your moves were valid and your references strong, there are ways to overcome that particular obstacle.  Oddly, one of them is to not rely exclusively on your recruiters.  Basically, that’s because we get paid for bringing certain qualities to the table, one of which is stability so we’re often hesitant to submit candidates that can jeopardize our credibility with our clients. More to your concern, though, is that if I were to submit your résumé and have it rejected, my client may still be obligated to pay me a fee if you submit it directly later on.  So now, I’ve just muddied your waters, haven't I?  If you have a spotty job history, your best bet is to get in front of it, explain it without making excuses in your presentation and let your skills and accomplishments speak to your ability to do the job.  Of course, you’ll have to speak for yourself as to why you aren’t a flight risk.  But that’s doable

Seventh:  I need to give 110 percent to my job search. 

False.  First, there is no such thing as 110 percent.  Second, and more importantly, you don’t need to give more than 90 percent.  Otherwise you will burn out, become irritable, interview poorly and not have time for other things in life that matter, family, personal activities or your salt water aquarium tank. 

Eight:  If I can’t find the job I’m looking for, it must not exist.

False, unless you’re looking for a job in comptometer sales, as a switchboard operator, or a pinsetter at a bowling alley.  The fact is, you probably can’t find the job you’re looking for because it isn’t advertised most of the places you’re looking.  You will need to hear about it from a recruiter, or more preferably, through your own networking efforts and referral sources, or find it by searching potential employers’ job boards. 

Ninth:  It’s hard to find a job I’ll truly enjoy doing.

That’s a distinct possibility.  Be prepared to deal with it and look for something else.

Tenth:  But I need to take the first job that’s offered.  I’m out of work and cannot afford to turn it down. 

Yes, you may.  So?  You’re looking for a job aren’t you.  Of course, there are very definite reasons to not accept a job, depending on your state of mind, the state of your budget, and perhaps the state of your marriage.  But unless there is a compelling reason to take a step backward in your career, a reduction in pay, or work for a company where you will feel completely unmotivated to make a contribution, nobody is forcing you to accept an unacceptable offer.  Some tactical alternatives to having been out of work for too long might include consulting, temping or contract work to buy yourself more time to find the right, or at least a better, opportunity.  

Eleventh:  I don’t have the right connections in my industry to find a job. 

True, if you say so.  But if that’s the case, go it without the contacts and while you’re out there looking, make a new contacts.  Expand your industry and community networks by attending local business network meetings and job fairs, and expand your professional social network; put your brand out there on the World Wide Web.  Create a name for yourself. 

Twelfth: Finding a job is hard work. 

True.  And that bothers you, why?

Thirteenth:  I’ve only had one job for the last 15 years.  I don’t know how to interview. 

True.  In fact without preparation, few people do know how to interview.  We’ll talk more about that later.  But if you have an interview tomorrow morning, just remember a few simple rules. Do your homework on the company.  Shake hands firmly and make good eye contact.  Treat the interview seriously. Keep the interview conversational and ask questions.  Don’t make the interview about compensation or benefits. Don’t get so comfortable with your interviewer as to become personal or let your guard down. (He’ll be interviewing you the entire time you’re there.)  And last, don’t check your personality or your sense of humor at the door.  Just be yourself.

Fourteenth:  There is a job out there for me.  It’s just a matter of time.

True.  But how much time do you have?  You have the ability to shorten that time, difficult and frustrating though it may seem. 

Fifteenth:  I know I need to get out there, but there’s something I have 

to do first.  (My résumé needs to be re-tweaked.  I need to speak to my references again.  I have to read today’s newspaper to see which are the latest industries to have announced layoffs.)

That’s bullshit, but depending on who you are, it can become a self-fulfilling prophesy

Sixteenth (and finally):  I’ll never find a job!                 

True.  Not with that attitude.

So there you have the myths, and in some cases, the truths. 

Now go to work!