Is it safe?

Is it safe?

May 22, 2014 Uncategorized 0

I help clients create organize strategies to find and secure jobs they want. This is partly due to my Type-A personality and partly due to my own professional experience and knowledge that without organization, we’re all doomed. Mostly however, my belief stems from the fact that getting a job is the worst. Job. Ever. Getting a job can make you feel like Hitler, getting repeatedly rejected from art school in Vienna. And we all know how that ended.

How many of us get our value from our work? So when you’re unemployed, or under-employed, or “simply” working at a job you hate…oh, that’s no good. The reason, I believe, that so many people stay swamped in employment situations they loathe is that job hunting is even more miserable and depressing. And, if your confidence has been systemically destroyed by a toxic environment at work, it’s almost impossible to muster the courage to believe you deserve a better job. PS: YOU DO! If you don’t believe me, email me at carlotazee@gmail.com, so we can have our own little come-to-Jesus as I explain to you, why your misery is unacceptable. Relax, Sunshine, I promise: this won’t hurt a bit.

So, let’s suggest that you’re, hesitantly, starting on your own job search, but you’re not sure what kind of job you want,  or what you’re supposed to be doing, or why apparently Jesus hates you. All you know is that you want to crawl back under the covers and ask, a la Marathon Man: “Is it safe?” (Is it safe?) Simma down. Instead of the traditional method of freaking out, how about you start writing out a list of the types of jobs you’re interested in? If you don’t know what you’re interested in, okay, relax, at least write out a list of your skills and what you enjoy doing. Do you like to sell? Can you code? Are you a great copywriter? Do you like to design? Let’s at least start with the skills you enjoy. I tell clients to think back to jobs they enjoy: what did you like about them? If you don’t have any positive memories, that’s a whole ‘nother issue for therapy and/or Happy Hour, but how about a list of jobs/skills you never want to do again, that’s something. #oy

At the same time, as you’re identifying these skills, you can start thinking about relevant companies that use these skills. Google the jobs, and see what companies come up. Then, look at those companies on Facebook, for example, and see what other related companies are suggested to you. (You’re welcome.) Now, create a list of companies you’d be interested in working for. Ideally this list should be as long as possible, because you’re going to network, and you always need way more connections than you think necessary. Now, with these companies in mind, time to start burrowing into your network to see whom you know at said companies. Don’t give me that look: I KNOW YOU KNOW PEOPLE. Did you go to college? Have you joined your alumni network, so you can have access to all the hundreds of thousands of millions of people in that system? Exactly. What about the military? What about your running group? Don’t say you don’t know anyone, as you choose to ignore your network.

Ideally, once you have your list of skills–i.e. what you have to offer–and your list of companies, with connections, than you can start reaching out to these people. Take them to coffee, to lunch, to cocktails, bowling, to rescue cats, burlesque: whatever. Any place you feel comfortable talking, is great. You want to present to them, give them a reason to help you. Not to mention, you might contact someone from university, hoping to gain a foothold into her current company…but she might surprise you and say, “Oh, but I know that company X is looking for someone like you.” Especially if your friend is well-regarded within the company, it allows you to come in as a “verified” commodity and can really speed things up. Before you give me that look, I promise you: THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. I worked for almost ten years in network news and after the first one, I networked all the other jobs at other networks in NYC and D.C. and it was through conversation. So, my reasoned response to your whining is: shut up. For reals.

Now. If you’d like some help doing your own version of this search-and-conquer: bueno. Become a fan of my Facebook page, “Carlotaworldwide Creativity Yenta,” and shoot me an email: carlotazee@gmail.com. Getting a job is hard; let me help you make it easy.

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