Writing resumes and interacting with a diverse clientele over the years, I get to see some patterns and dynamics at play in career transitions. It is a natural tendency to try and understand why things happen as they do. This is very true with the job search process itself.
One analogy I like is that the job search is like dating, or even Internet dating. Everyone, employees and employers, are looking to make the right connection and feel that positive chemistry. Nobody likes to spend time following up on something that just doesn’t feel right – it is a waste of time and a “bunny trail.”
If a job searcher looks at finding a new position as finding the right person, then they must see that it means not marrying the first person who treats them nice. This is a bad reason to get married and a bad reason to take a particular job.
What ends up happening too often is a “rebound” situation – someone accepts what looks like a great offer, only to find after a few months that the job was nothing like what was advertised. So they are back to square one and back into the search process.
Better to take your time and identify what are your must-haves and do-withouts, and go on as many “dates” as it takes to get what you want and is best for you. It may seem to lengthen the job search, but actually saves you time in the long run because you are not jumping at the first half-good-looking opportunity.
Like the dating game, the job search process requires you to do your due diligence. The transition may seem to be crazy and unpredictable, with more things outside your control than you think. But keeping a clear head, a steady hand and an open mind will help you navigate the job search, however long it takes.
Happily, over my long years of working with thousands of people, I have never had a client not get a job – as far as I know. Remember, the primary issue is not a lack of abilities, but rather a lack of packaging, i.e. the quality of your resume.
