At this point in your career, you should have a good idea of what you want to do. If you don't, it's time to make some important decisions. What kind of work do you want? Do you want to work full-time, part-time, or perhaps three days a week? What kind of lifestyle do you prefer? Do you plan to relocate to another part of the country?
Are you an achiever? Are you interested in making money?
Do you want power? Are you interested in art and in self expression? Do you want to serve humanity? Are you a creative person who wants to deal in the realm of ideas? These are questions that require a great deal of thought, time, and effort if you expect to achieve your goals. But the most important question of all is what do you want to do? If you are uncertain at the moment, don't worry. It is perfectly normal at this stage of your life to flounder a bit. You wouldn't be human if you didn't. But giving serious consideration to your future is important because you don't want to waste time going down the wrong road and having to retrace your steps later. The best course of action is to set realistic goals as to what you want to do and the kind of company you want to join. Then plan and execute your job campaign, because nothing will happen unless you make it happen.
If you are still undecided about what to do, Career Design, developed by the Crystal-Barkley Corporation, may help. It is an easy-to-use, self-paced software program that covers every aspect of the career and job search. It can help you decide what to do, how to do it, and where to do it. According to Eric O. Sandburg, the co-author of Career Design, it is the software's ability to help the user deal immediately with a broad range of career issues that makes it so appealing. This varies from identifying what skills and aptitudes a person has to showing how to develop multiple and appealing job choices. Paramount among these issues is deciding what career to pursue.
Don't Procrastinate.
Don't let uncertainty about what you want to do turn into procrastination where you do nothing and thus waste valuable time. It is important-and good self-discipline - to do something constructive every day, whether it be putting your thoughts on paper, making phone calls to contacts and setting up appointments, or writing letters and sending out resumes.
You want to build momentum and sustain it until you achieve your goal.
In making your career decision, "You must have a clear sense of direction, and be able to articulate what that direction is," says Wayne Carlisle, director of placement and career services at Wichita State University.
Put Your Thoughts on Paper. It's important to put your thoughts and ideas in writing. Often we have good ideas, but forget them because we failed to write them down. Listing your goals will serve as a reminder that you are waging a job hunting campaign to market and sell your services, and will also serve as a guide to your course of action.
Today there is no longer the stigma attached to getting fired that there was a few short years ago. In fact, being fired can often be a blessing in disguise, and it rarely has anything to do with your competence. It does force you to take a hard look at yourself and decide what you really want to do. John J. Davis, president of J. Davis & Associates, a New York City-based executive search firm, agrees. He says, "Many people need to be prodded into changing their lives. Few people embrace change with open arms. That's why millions of people remain in boring jobs-for a weekly paycheck and security. Getting fired could be just what the doctor ordered, if you seize the opportunity and strategically pursue a better job than the one you lost."
Lost-Job Trauma. Some people are psychologically devastated when they are terminated. A person may go through several stages, beginning with refusing to believe what happened. You can't accept the company's violation of your trust and loyalty, says career counselor Alexander J. Sussman. You begin to internalize and lose your sense of reality and perspective.
The second stage is anger-you become vindictive and want to get even. This is destructive because it immobilizes you.
Stage three, especially if you were not expecting termination, is the feeling that "I may not be able to get a job again." You begin to question your capabilities. If this lack of confidence persists, it will increase the time it takes to find another job.
The next step is to plan your future, and the sooner you stop brooding and move to this stage, the better. An optimistic attitude and persistence are essential for a successful job hunt. Treat the job search as a job in itself, which it is.
The Best Medicine-Action. The best medicine and the key to success is action, preparing cover letters, writing resumes, and making contacts, including family, friends, business acquaintances, managers in professional associations, and executives in the company that terminated you. Don’t be afraid to ask for their help. These steps are all part of the marketing plan necessary to find another job. You can't afford to be bashful when seeking employment.
Don't go into the job fray by yourself, says career counselor Sussman. Too many people feel that being fired is a black mark against them. They're embarrassed, and tend to with draw from their friends and families at a time when they badly need their help and understanding. Family support is essential if you are to succeed in your job quest. Life should continue as normally as possible under the circumstances, which can be difficult.
Once you begin to mount an effective job campaign, the negative things that bothered you in the first three stages will begin to diminish in intensity. Looking for a job is challenging, because you are working on a representation of yourself. Whether or not you get a job rests solely on your shoulders. It is one of the few times you control your destiny, says Sussman. It can be a very rewarding experience.
