One of my favorite acting teachers gave an ongoing assignment to think of something good that happened to us each and every day. This was supposed to ensure we were always positive at our auditions, and the tip translates to jobseekers as well.
One of my favorite acting teachers gave an ongoing assignment to think of something good that happened to us each and every day. This was supposed to ensure we were always positive at our auditions, and the tip translates to jobseekers as well:
Positioning. If an interviewer asks about your day, you want to respond in the positive. Complaining is unattractive. Enthusiasm is contagious. If you can find the positive things in each and every day, you position yourself for success.
Perspective. So much of the job search is out of your control. Actors may be used to going from job to job, but this is getting to be the case even for employees of formerly stable industries. Finding good things in every day reminds yourself that good things are still happening.
Power. We all know people who can get through adverse situations with such grace. Jobseekers rationally know that rejection is part of the search, but some are more graceful than others. That grace in turn gives them power – self-confidence, momentum, energy. Gratitude begets grace begets power.
Is Your Job Search Flexible or Just Unfocused?
As a recruiter, I’ve seen lack of flexibility on the recruiting side with employers clinging to every last detail in their ideal spec while perfectly good candidates get overlooked. As a career coach, I see jobseekers prematurely dismissing possible targets waiting for that perfect job. It’s true that you want to be focused in your job search (otherwise you dilute your efforts and come across as scattered and possibly desperate).
5 Questions to Test If Your Resume Is Recruiter-Proof
After recruiting in search and in-house for over ten years, I have read thousands of resumes. Due to sheer volume of resumes received and all the other things that vie for the recruiter’s attention in the hiring process – scheduling, interviewing, networking, reference checks, client debriefs, and more – the resume review process is ruthlessly quick.
Why Conventional Wisdom On Work Flexibility Is Always Wrong
In a previous post, I wrote about why employment statistics are always wrong. In a similar way, conventional wisdom on work flexibility is always wrong. It is impossible to generalize something that is inherently case-by-individual case. Therefore, any boilerplate advice or conventional wisdom is bound to omit a key consideration, underweight or overemphasize other considerations, or take too long-term or short-term of a view.
