Though I have not seen any statistical studies, I would guess that going through a job transition ranks up there among things that create a lot of anxiety and emotional drama, such as root canals, public speaking and puberty. But life has too many moving parts that are beyond a person’s control and almost everyone will have endured at least one job search in their lives. And there is no way to absolutely predict a transition, anymore than you can predict chipping a tooth.

Sometimes root canals become necessary, many times through no fault of your own, in order to preserve your health. Sometimes you can chose to make a career transition, but nowadays too often the decision will be made for you. People are dropped in without much preparation or orientation. Downsizing has become a dreaded word and one of the darkest realities in our economy’s jungle. When that particular “reaper” appears, we want to make ourselves scarce. But life has a tendency to stay just out of our control and so job transitions are about as much fun as a root canal.

If the time comes when you have no choice and you really do to need a root canal, the first thing you want is full confidence in your dentist abilities to get the job done with minimal pain. Will he use enough Novocaine? What if he finds more things that have gone wrong and you need more work done? Indeed, the anticipation of pain and discomfort can be worse than the process itself.

It helps a lot when your dentist outlines what needs to be done and how he will do it. Simply having this basic information can neutralize concerns and give you the confidence to meet the challenge. When the procedure is successfully completed, you have relief and pleasure in life again – the pain is gone and worse issues avoided.

Similar kinds of fear and anxiety will arise during the job search. Will the potential employer realize how qualified I am for this position? Does my resume reflect my true potential and achievements accurately? Am I using the right kind of key concepts or buzzwords? You can become infected with a kind of low-grade fever of doubt and fear that can deplete your energy and morale levels. You start second-guessing yourself and going round in circles.

One of the best remedies for this bundle of internal threats is getting your resume in with a professional for an evaluation and overall check-up. The effective resume will be flexible enough for rapid customizing and provide a smooth career narrative of your capabilities and achievements. Many times a full makeover is called for to give your resume these two essential qualities, but this process will give you new confidence for pushing through the job search, shortening the job transition and getting closer to that next position.

A few quick suggestions that can help you get some new traction in the job transition:

1. Face and define your fears and anxieties – some may be real, others only assumptions.
2. Pull together your contacts and organize your resources – then structure a job search campaign.
3. Never let a contact go cold – follow the networking trail wherever it may lead.
4. Use informational interviews to get wider exposure if job-specific interviews are not as plentiful.
5. Manage your expectations and be ready to response with flexibility and optimism to real-time events.