The next time you feel like throwing a pity party because you are stuck in a dead-end job or still haven’t found one that you are afraid will wind up in a dead-end, stop and take a moment.  Suffering from the fear of failure or maybe even success, or worrying about what is coming next is not going to help you move forward no matter how much you tell yourself it will.  Doubt is a feeling we all struggle with especially when we are burdened with an unstable economy and a sagging job market.  Finding your way out from the middle of your own fears, no matter how scary truly is the only way to look ahead.

Looking for the perfect job, like looking for the perfect mate, opens you up to the potential of rejection and fear. Worrying about whether you will be liked in an interview or whether your current boss will find out your interviewing or whatever other anxiety ridden thoughts you can conjure up, won’t make the process of finding and securing a job any easier. When you operate from a position of doubt and fear, you will attract situations and people that might not be right for you.  Seld-doubt signals to the world that you are questioning your own value and self-worth. Doubting yourself is a way for you to unconsciously sabotage your efforts, holding you back from truly reaching your highest potential. There is a difference when you have a conscious feeling or your follow your gut instinct whether a job is right for you or not.  But doubt, at its core, questions your intuition causing you to feel unsure and well, scared s#!%less.

When you allow doubt to paralyze your efforts you set up barriers towards your forward progress.  Instead of dealing with issues related to why you are not getting a job, a promotion, or the career you dreamed of, living in doubt keeps you in a place of fear and far away from the path to resolution and ultimately peace of mind. Making the most out of any given situation challenges you to push doubt aside and forces you to take action even if you feel you are not ready to make a move.  There is no right or wrong time.  There is no right or wrong choice.  By not choosing you have made a choice, but you have to ask yourself whether you have chosen from a place of confidence or from a place of fear.

Doubting sends a message whether it’s on a job interview or in your current job that you are “just not sure” and that relays a weakness that will not help you project the image you want when looking for a job or, in keeping the one you have. When you live in doubt about your job you are basically saying, “I don’t know if I’m worth it” which prevents you from getting what you really want on every level.

The next time you fear the unknown about your career and you doubt you know which direction to choose, sit with it for awhile and ask yourself what might be holding you back? You may be surprised that if you are truly honest with your intentions and begin to have a deeper understanding and appreciation for your value and your worth, you will automatically gain the courage it takes to push doubt aside and replace it with a little courage and a lot of fortitude.

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When you think of what you have versus what you do not have, may make you feel grateful or depressed. Holding onto a job you can’t stand for fear you’ll never find one that you will love, is like staying in a bad relationship because you are afraid to be alone. When you face the fear that holds you back, you have a fighting chance to rise above the chaos surrounding your career and find what you truly desire.

Living within your safety zone may not necessarily make you all that safe.   Stepping out of your comfort zone whether it’s quitting a job you don’t like, standing up for yourself and going for that promotion and job you just don’t think you deserve, will make you stronger and more courages. Trusting in yourself and knowing you have something to fall back on, will help you take the necessary steps in what could be a paralyzing process – believing in yourself and trusting your own career instincts.

When your career takes a turn for the worse, when the job offers aren’t materializing and you can’t seem to find anyone who will listen, trusting in yourself and knowing that you can and should take steps towards getting out of your comfort zone may be your only way out. If you wait for there to a “safe zone” for you to act, you may never gain the courage to pursue your goals no matter how big, no matter how small.  Your safety net can and will trap you into staying where you are in your career whether you secretly choose to make a change or not. Change in inevitable whether you know what is at the end of the road or not.  Believing that you should only take the safe way out could let you miss opportunities when taking a risk seems a better option.

When you start believing you are worthy of the career you truly want, you will miraculously invite the support you will need to make it happen. If you stop worrying about failing or not achieving your dreams you will rid yourself of the false sense of security you have come to know in favor of the unknown.  Opening yourself up to the possibilities of the unknown will help you better trust your own instincts when it’s time to make a change in your career or accept the next job offer.

So rather than relying on fear as your guide in knowing when it’s time to make a change, trust in yourself without the safety net you’ve become so use to and take a chance. It’s okay to fall, you’ll get up again.  It’s okay if you don’t get the first job offer out of school or the promotion you’ve been eyeing, it’s just not meant to be. Dwelling on what you don’t have or what you can’t seem to get is not going to help you move forward. So what if you don’t get what you want the first time out of the gate, if you don’t try you won’t know what you do want when it does finally come along. Knowing you are in control no matter what the outcome will allow you to make the best out of every situation.  Go ahead and throw away that safety net and learn how to fly-chances are you may go higher than you ever imagined.

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Finding a job is hard enough when the economy is booming let alone when the job market resembles a pit bull fight.  Having the where-with-all to stick it out is a challenge enough to make a grown man, or your pit bull cry.  The fears you face whether you are currently employed or desperately seeking a new position, need to be embraced and you need to boldly stare down your enemy for who and what it is. Identifying and coping with your job fear factors are a way for you to kick fear in the teeth before it takes a bite out of your ambition and your self-confidence.

We all have our thresholds of enduring levels of pain. Whether you are able to stand a trip to the dentist or endure the long lines as you stand in the checkout, we all have our breaking points.  Knowing your threshold of pain and what you are willing to endure when it comes to your job search is an important aspect of finding and sticking to the task.  Some people LOVE the chase.  Interviewing, networking, meeting new people and holding onto the hope that maybe, just maybe, the next one will be the right one and they can stop looking-even if for a little while.  And then there are some no matter how good or bad things are, will always feel the pain of the process and tough it out no matter how hard things become.  Choosing to “fight or flight” in your job search will separate the weak from the strong.

Your job search is an endurance test.  It not only helps you build the resolve you need to fight for what you want but it helps you build good survival skills that will be necessary once you do get the job you want. Knowing which of these skills you can turn into assets will help you better define and determine your fear factor quota. Let’s break it down simply.  You’ve heard the expression, “motivated by fear.”  Well no other place is that more evident than when someone has lost a job, can’t pay the bills or is desperate to survive. Your motivation by fear of job loss or not finding a job can be used to actually BENEFIT you in helping you move forward and past whatever it is that is holding you back.

Defining your job fears by simply listing out what truly holds a grip on you will help you to move past your fears and will help motivate you into action.  If your fears stem from not feeling worthy of a good paying job, a title or a promotion, or maybe you lack confidence that you can succeed or maybe you are afraid to succeed, identifying what holds you back will help you move onto the next phase in your job search-recovery. Being able to boldly look fear in the eye and allow it to actually motivate you will truly help you step into the light and away from whatever it is that is not allowing you to succeed.

Knowing how to identify, release, recover and move on from your job search fears will help you to realize that the only thing standing in the way of your next, best job is you.

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Your job search is an adventure.  When you think of the infinite possibilities out there you will be less concerned about making a mistake.  When you are willing to take risk in your quest for a new job, you can move forward without expectation and enjoy the journey. By focusing on the outcome of each and every interview, meeting or networking event you will likely drive yourself mad and miss out on the important opportunity right in front of you. When you treat your job search like you are on vacation or visiting a place you’ve never been, you start to explore the possibilities through a new, brightly colored lens. When you head out for your next interview, pretend you are taking a trip and are about to visit a wonderful new restaurant and eat something you’ve never tried before, you might even sneak in a bit of prayer but always be ready to take some risk when finding your next job.

As you find yourself on our career journey, treat the process with joyous anticipation and wonder. By worrying what you will get from the interview, you deny yourself the opportunity to enjoy the moment and miss out on what you could learn from the company, its employees and the environment. When you take a risk by opening yourself up to new possibilities you create a deeper sense of your surroundings, the company and whether or not you will likely “fit in.”  Enter the interview meeting without expectation, concern or negative anticipation and see what mysteries unfold.

Treating your job search like an adventure holds excitement and offers you limitless possibilities of accepting something new and different into your life.  Remove the worry, fear, doubt and concern about finding your next job and you will elevate yourself to a higher level.  By embracing the process you open yourself up and who knows what type of job offer awaits you that you may not have even considered!

Like savoring a fantastic meal, think of your job search as the main course in a menu filled with appetizing possibilities. Knowing how to select a fine wine to go with your meal, or whether you will order the special Baked Alaska dessert ahead of time or try whatever the chef recommends opens you to a fantasy of delights.  Like ordering your favorite meal or sampling something new, your job search has the potential of opening new and wonderful opportunities, introductions and delightful outcomes if you savor the moment.

Having faith in your accomplishments and knowing what you want from your next job by clearly focusing your intentions through prayer, meditation or silent introspection will help you stay open to the abundance of opportunities and new experiences that await you when you are mentally, physically and emotionally available. Knowing that you are in charge of your career destiny puts you in a much better place than if you were to blindly move forward in fear hoping that someone will offer you a job and freak out when the offer does not come.

When you open yourself up to the unexpected by taking a risk, and by savoring the wait your job search will feel less like an obligation and more like an adventure. You will learn to appreciate what you have and your job search will take on a whole new meaning. You may actually just have a little fun in the process!

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As the song goes, “You can’t always get what you want,” but you will always get what you need.  When it comes to focusing on what it will take to make you happy in your career, you need to discover what truly drives your ambitions.  Is it money?  Is it title? Is it freedom?  Is it creativity?  Is it routine? Finding out what truly makes you wake up each morning and embrace the day with vigor, courage and yes, desire will help you towards reaching and succeeding in your career goals.  Knowing what truly drives you to move forward in life and mapping out the plan that will help you get there is as much as knowing what you want from what you truly need.

Harnessing the desire from within you whatever the motivating factor, will push you towards your career goals whether you like it or not.  So, if you are driven by making more money, you will find opportunities not only to seek jobs which pay more, but maybe finding alternative ways to make money outside of your regular job.  You may discover you have hidden talents and start a side business that helps you bring in more money.  Or you may align yourself with a promotional opportunity that opens the door for making more money at your current job. When your desire is strong enough, you operate with razor sharp focus in attaining what it is you truly want in life.  Your passion is the fuel that drives your career.

Knowing what you want is half the battle in “getting” what you want from your next job. Most of us are not always clear on what we want from our career relationship. Defining what you what from what you need, brings a clarity that makes your desire in obtaining it even greater.  Nothing motivates more than wanting something so much that you will find a way to obtain it regardless of the obstacles in your way.  Determination is born from your desire and the more you are clear on what you are looking for from your career, your pay, your boss, your job, the more likely you will be in getting it.

If someone refers to you as ambitious-thank them. Sometimes the term is used in a negative way but really, it’s a compliment signaling that you are someone who knows and goes after what you want. Focusing on where you are going or where the next opportunity will present itself brings about the fear and not the desire.  Fear will single handedly kill your desire.  Focusing and taking action towards your desires will help drive away the fear and help you towards reaching your career goals.

When you live in doubt, fear and concern over your next career move, remember it is up to you where you choose to focus your attention and your desire.  When your passion is high nothing can stand in the way of you and your next job. Continue to focus on what drives you and see where the career road leads.

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Sometimes you feel like no matter what you do you just can’t seem to get it right.  All the resume rewrites, networking parties, email requests, introductions and you still can’t get a job offer. When the going gets tough you don’t necessarily need to get going-in the other direction. When the jobs fall through, you can’t seem to land any offers and you have no idea what to do, remember as grim as it may seem, there is a blessing in disguise in every missed opportunity. Think of those that missed the train headed for Liverpool where they were to board the new luxury liner, the Titanic-were they lucky or just late?

For every missed opportunity there is a new one.  For every job offer that did not come through, there is one waiting for you.  For every client that drops you there is a new one waiting to sign you up.  Every time we think of a disappointment, a missed opportunity or a chance that we think we have lost, think again.  Knowing that there are other chances to play the same game and many more chances to win should give you enough energy to keep on moving forward to your next job adventure.

When you truly embrace the notion that you don’t always know what the outcome will be in a given situation, then you can relax and trust in the process. Your ability to expect the unexpected when it comes to your job search will help you stay focused in the present and not live too far into the future. When you stop predicting the outcome of your next job interview, even if you don’t get a job offer means you can stop living in fear and live in the moment.

Making the most of every connection even if it does not yield an employment opportunity can set you up to make the most of every situation.  Jobs are a plenty.  Yes, you heard me the market is brimming with more opportunity for employment than a year ago.  This means you have more options than before. Taking advantage of this situation means you should be casting a wider net to ensure you have made the most out of your networking opportunities.  Remembering that you know what is best for you in any given situation even though you may feel doubtful at times keeps you focused on finding just the right job for you.

Next time you feel that the job offers are not flowing and you put all of your eggs in one basket hoping for the phone to ring or an email to appear, stop and take a breath.  Just because you won’t get an offer does not mean the end of the world!  There is something truly fabulous waiting for you whether in this email or the next so don’t throw it all away just yet.  Staying focused and moving forward through the next door that opens is all you need to do in order to make the next opportunity the right opportunity for you.  So next time you don’t get a job offer, so what, know there is another one that is waiting just for you.

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Seems these days it’s not such a bad thing to be sitting on your bum, getting a tan, catching up on your reading or any other activity you were meaning to get to and couldn’t because you were over-worked and well, very employed.  It’s not that your lazy by any means.  Having enough time to balance and enjoy all aspects of your life adds to your experience.  So next time someone gives you a dirty look or rolls their eyes because you are still looking for your next job, just smile and clap your hands.

There is a new movement under foot that actually embraces the unemployed and heralds as its motto, “Fun things to do while others are at work” at www.fun-employment.com. Just because you are not “gainfully” employed and may or may not be looking for your next career move doesn’t mean you should be sitting idle and not explore your passions. One woman, a former attorney, who has not worked in over a year, now makes hand-crafted jewelry and teaches homeless woman how to create personal items to sell. Another woman who was an administrative assistant lost her job and decided to develop her passion for writing and hosting parties by creating a blog site dedicated to the topic of entertaining.

Many people during times of transition can either sit it out or give up.  This movement, like many others, tells you that it’s okay to explore the unknown and have a little fun in the meantime. Just because you are in transition does not mean you have to be serious and focused on your job search all day, all the time. It does mean that you should explore your creative passions and activities that perhaps you have been ignoring. Unemployment is a perfect time to tap into that other side of what you love to do and you may be surprised at some of the wonderful things that come out of your transition time.

Tapping into your creative side can be as simple as making a list and asking yourself a few questions to get the process started.

1-What do I love doing that I have not made time for in the past year?

2-How could I make money from what I love to do most?

3-Are there others who share in my interests and are there groups I could join to network?

4-How will I spend my time each day doing the things I love?

5-Even if I did get a job, what could I do to continue working on creating what I love?

Finding your niche, being happy and knowing you are taking one step towards realizing your goal whether that be a full time job or creating a new career. In this time of economic instability, great inventions, innovations and creations emerge. This is a new enlightenment era where you no longer have to follow traditional paths to achieve the success you seek. Knowing and doing what you love will get you there faster than any course you may strategically lay out for yourself.  Having the courage and conviction to embark on this journey is all you need to get going. Remember, it’s not every day you can wake up and the day is yours for the making.  Embrace your unemployment and by all means, have fun.

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In a world where all you seem to be doing is working on finding your next job or wondering when your next job will find you, the pressure you place on yourself can be all consuming.  Taking time to recognize your efforts and giving yourself a much needed break from all of the worry, doubt, activity and anticipation is as important to your sanity as whether you accept the next job offer or not.  Don’t feel you have to rush to the finish line every second of every day and consider yourself a failure if you are not obsessing about the success or failure of your job search efforts. When you feel like you are about to “crack” take a break, take a breath and relax.

Knowing when and how to pace yourself when you are in the midst of change is crucial in order for you to focus and be successful.  Finding time in your day, whether you are employed or not to relax, kick back and reflect is not such a bad thing.  Taking time for you is about nurturing the part of you that needs support and encouragement. Sometimes kicking back and doing nothing is good for the soul. Knowing when to take a step back and understand that your job success is not measured by how many interviews have in a given week or by how many resumes you send out.  Your job success is a reflection of your journey and the inevitable progress you make towards that end- one day at a time.

When you become overwhelmed with needing to get a job, or get a raise or secure a consulting assignment you lose focus on the long term picture and get caught up in the moment.  The “rush” you feel when you move towards your goal, although exhilarating at first, if sustained without relief will inevitably lead to burn out and fatigue. Knowing yourself well enough to know when you need a break from the intensity of finding a job is a valuable skill you should not underestimate.  You are the master of your own schedule.  You are not a slacker if you are not working 150% even if it means you are not pulling down a paycheck at the moment.

Understanding that in order to truly succeed in your job search and make the best informed decision about your next job offer, you must have a clear and calm mindset. When you make any decisions while you are mired in fear, doubt or worry will ultimately lead you to make poor choices.  In a time where every minute counts, having enough down time to relax so you can exercise the right choices is important.

The next time you feel you are underachieving in your job search, think about the last time you made a decision while you were feeling stressed and remember, you don’t want to regret your next job because you were too burnt out to realize it might not have been the perfect fit.  Take time, trust, relax, enjoy the process and know that when you are feeling calm, focused and confident you will know when the right job offer appears and you will be ready to make the change.

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Standing in the way of every great dream, each new idea, a desire to excel and the will to achieve is a nagging doubt, an uncertainty, a question you should ask yourself, do you deserve to succeed?  Knowing what you want and how to get it are factors in your ability to take hold of your career and forge a plan towards achieving any goal. Looking beneath the surface of where you are in your life now, if you are happy and if you are not, why you may be unable to change could provide the hidden key towards unlocking the door towards your success.

In any endeavor you choose in life there are risks and there are rewards.  Knowing whether you are going to succeed or fail does not have to be a crap shoot if you choose wisely and plan sufficiently.  It’s when you undermine, sabotage or simply unknowingly divert any opportunity to succeed where you need to examine what it is that may be holding you back.  Asking yourself whether you deserve success is your first step to removing any obstacles in you have placed in your way.  The next step is outlining the reasons why you deserve to be successful no matter what your career choice or occupation. Understanding your attitudes towards success and why you feel you deserve it , will help you identify any obstacles you may have placed in your way that you will need to remove in order for you to move ahead.

Discovering the ways you measure your own success will help you determine whether you are placing any barriers in achieving all that you want and denying yourself all that you can be.  Determine whether you have any fears or judgements around money, position, title, or any pre-conceived effect success will have in your life once you achieve it.  If you doubt your abilities, or think “No way, I’ll never make that kind of money,” or, “I’ve always been a coordinator who am I to want something more,” then you need to ask yourself why you feel you do not deserve the very best?

Striving for greatness and personal accomplishment will not alienate you from the pack or make you a better person than someone else or transform you into a self-centered individual.  Harnessing your greatness will make you better at who you are meant to be and fulfill your ambitions at the highest level. Look to those in your life who are successful and imagine what your life would be like if you give yourself the same opportunity. What would it be like if you had no judgements around success, how would you behave, what would you do differently and how would it improve your current work situation? Understanding that deserving success is the crucial component in becoming successful is all you need to know in order to achieve what you set out to accomplish.

If you feel like you have issues around what it’s like to be successful, hold any doubts, judgements, reservations or fear, spend some time studying what inhibitions you harbor that may be holding you back from truly shining. The only reason you are not where you are in your career, your personal life or any area of your life that you feel is lacking may be due in part to a feeling that you don’t really deserve or can’t comprehend how to deserve the feelings that are associated with truly successful people. In order to be successful, you have to feel that you above all deserve the raise, the promotion, the new career, the perks associated with a better position all that you can imagine. The first step in achieving your dreams is not just believing they will materialize, but knowing you are special and deserve the greatness that resides within you.  So next time you hold any doubt around your ability to succeed, ask yourself one simple question, “Who am I not to succeed?”

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Making the most of a bad situation these days takes a lot more than prayer, a glass of champagne, and getting lost in your iPad.  If you’ve been lost looking for a ray of hope in the otherwise cloudy skies of the job market, just look up and if that doesn’t help and you are still in some serious doubt, then change it up.

There is no right time than the present to change the direction your job life is taking. Whether you are in a rut at work, exhausted from all of the endless interviews, networking and introductions or, you are still trying to find yourself, making a change or changing the make is a way to find your way out.  Knowing when you need a change is probably the hardest part.  You may sometimes get so use to your surroundings whether good or bad that the comfort zone kicks in and you probabaly figure, “Well, if I lasted it out this long, it’s probably as good as it is going to get.” Wrong.

When complacency becomes the alternative and you’d rather sit it out then change it up, that’s the time to kick yourself into high gear whatever the cost and make a change.  Waiting for the right moment, or for your confidence to rise or for someone to change it for you are all excuses that will not see you move from point A to point B.  In life, you make the “right moment” happen.  Your confidence will rise the minute you move into action and stop worrying about the alternative.  Waiting for someone to take your hand works when you are too young to cross the street but now, it’s up to you to know when it’s time to cross and you don’t need anyone’s permission to do it.

When you are in doubt about your career, changing even the slightest approach shifts your point of view and offers you a perspective you may not have previously considered.  Whether you are in doubt about changing your job, or what you want to do when you graduate or if you’ve been contemplating a career change, taking a bold step forward helps you in ways you can’t even imagine.  It’s when you stay idle in thought and action and are “comfortable” with your discord where you cover the road ahead with unnecessary obstacles which impede your progress towards success.

Knowing how to change it up even when you are not sure what the change might be helps flex your muscle and rids yourself of self-imposed fear and doubt.  Making a change no matter how slight, offers you one step towards reaching your career goal.  Whether you ask for a change of office, rearrange your desk, take a different route to school or work or make a decision to start your own business, any change no matter how varied has a way of uplifting your confidence and offers a whole new point of view on your current situation.

So next time you are in doubt, not knowing what to do with your career whether you are looking for one or not, make a change and remember you don’t have to settle for less even if the alternative is not in plain sight yet.

When it comes to finding the right job you are sometimes obliged to determine what box you fit into.  You are asked to define your talents, skills and gifts as if you were being asked to select off a fast food menu of options.  In today’s crazy and seemingly unstable job market, it’s not enough for you to guess which of your many skills will be the winning combination to pique someone’s interest.  There was a time when specializing in a certain area was of key interest to prospective employers.  The job landscape has changed and now more than ever you need to possess a diversified skill set to show how flexible and multi-talented you truly are.  So is it cool to be the specialist or the generalist?

When you specialize in an area, whether it be animation, productions, sales, finance, marketing, you may have one function or special skill that you were hired to perform. Over the years, your career may have opened you up to learning new talents or you were promoted and received increased responsibilities.  Whichever the case, if your job has you touching more than one area or discipline or has you multi-tasking across several disciplines, you count yourself among the generalists. The term “generalist” implies someone who has diverse skill sets across multiple disciplines.  You could have specialized in one particular area at one point in your career, but having the ability to work in many areas is an asset today worth highlighting.  Many recruiters will tell candidates that their resumes are “All over the place,” suggesting that they have too many diverse skills listed and it will make the job matching that more difficult.  It’s true, you don’t want to over emphasize that you are a jack of all trades, master at none, but there is nothing in the career books to suggest that you can’t be a master of many talents and if so, what is the best way to flaunt those talents.

Highlighting your skills can be as simple as prioritizing your interests and knowledge in a particular discipline. Taking stock in what you’ve accomplished, learned or excelled in creates the foundation for you to promote yourself and your talents to prospective employers.  Focusing your attention on the 5 to 6 areas of interest and accomplishment shows prospective employers that you are well-rounded and can adapt to change in a flexible work environment.  In a market with as many ups and downs and changing priorities this is an asset that should not be overlooked. Being a true generalist has its advantages and knowing how to best leverage yourself will make your next career move easier.

Here are a few tips to highlight the true generalist in you:

1- Take inventory of the 5-6 skills you have mastered and bullet point your key accomplishments next to each.

2-Make sure you include skills that you have worked on at least 25% of the time over the course of your career.

3-Include talents and skills where you might have been promoted, received an award or were asked to train or teach others as a best practice.

4- Acknowledge any management & leadership experience because sometimes overlooked, this is an important skill most people take for granted and don’t often include.

5-If you created, innovated, excelled or mastered an area that you may have forgotten about or was long ago, remember to include it in your list.  Just because you many not have performed those functions in awhile does not mean it no longer counts towards your list of many skills worth emphasizing.

Making sure to organize, highlight and self promote your many talents in a very competitive job market will help you stay just a little bit ahead of the curve.  At the very least, when you are done it should provide for a confidence booster knowing all that you are capable of accomplishing.

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When it comes to your career recovery is it possible for you to garner the strength it will take to to make the necessary changes?  Your career, like most things in life needs time and careful attention in order to change.  It just doesn’t happen overnight.  When you are stalled in your career there is one thing you can do for yourself where no one else can help you.  In this, your career is very much an inside job.

Taking responsibility for your career is the same process one goes through when they are recovering from any addiction.  You have to make certain commitments to yourself and honor who you are and what you want from your career.  There is an introspection that needs to occur.  You need to be quiet with your thoughts in order to find your true passion.  Finding a job starts from the inside out.  You cannot present your best self if you are not sure who you are and what that is.

Here are a few things in your 12-step career recovery you might want to consider before you go on your next interview:

1-Be Powerful: Your career is in your own hands.  You have control to change or to manage the change whether you choose it or it is forced upon you.  No one can take that from you.

2-Be Authentic: Restore your authentic self.  Make sure to honor who you are and what you want from your next career and let no one persuade you from your goals.

3-Be Decisive:  Understand that you will have many choices whether you are recently graduating or making a career change.  Know yourself and what motivates you and always follow your instincts and don’t be afraid to make a choice. If you don’t like the first one, you can always choose again.

4-Be Fearless. Once you decide what you want, don’t be afraid to go after it.  Knowing yourself and understanding your desires is an important part of the process in learning how to attract what you want and in keeping it.

5-Be Self-Aware: Admitting to yourself and to others what your career goals are and engaging their help is an act of courage and honor. Don’t be afraid to let others know who you are so they can help you in becoming the even greater person you are destined to be.

6-Be Proactive: Make an effort to take charge of your career without waiting to be told what to do.  Once you find your path, move boldly forward and take control of your career. If you see what you want, be proactive and go forward to get it.

7-Be Realistic:  If you have limitations in your career, seek advice, counsel, training and the proper education to make sure you have what it takes to compete in the fast-paced world.

8- Be Patient:  Knowing what you want and waiting diligently for it to materialize is an honorable trait to have particularly as you discover the real reasons for your career ambitions and pursuits.

9-Be Flexible:  Keeping your options open even though you may have your heart and mind set on one thing will help you open doors to opportunities you may not have given thought to before.

10-Be Ready for Change: If you feel you’ve made a mistake in your career choice, be open and ready to change again.  There is no right or wrong answer.  You make your own career destiny any way you choose.

11-Be Convicted:  Stay the course once you know what you want.  Obstacles may get in the way and people will try to discourage you but have faith and prosper in your convictions and go for the best you can be.

12-Be Yourself:  Being true to yourself and honest in your convictions will help guide you towards your career goals quickly.  Making choices based on what others want for you will delay your progress and will not help you in achieving your long-term goals.

Becoming introspective, studying what you want and really making the process of following your career path an inside job will help you remain focused and oriented towards your goals quicker than a resume re-write or a practice job interview.

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And, on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/pub/2/abb/508

When we become so consumed in looking for work, applying for everything we can get our hands on, taking every meeting and networking until it feels like a full time job, we don’t often stop to think about what we are doing?  It’s not just enough to follow our dreams, toss caution to the wind and pray for a miracle when we look for the next best thing.  Finding out what we really want from what we think we want is the first step in finding our perfect job.

Just like dating, finding our perfect job match really starts with identifying what you want from what you don’t want.  The eHarmony dating site aptly refers to this as “Must Haves/Can’t Stands”.  I think when it comes to your job search putting a similar list together will help you to decipher what you want from what you think you want. Having the necessary vocabulary to articulate your career goals and desires helps you distinguish a good job opportunity from a bad one.  Like finding a suitable mate, knowing what you want from not helps you weed out the good offers from the bad ones.

Putting your list together can be easy and I would recommend you start with 10 items for each list.  I’ve set up a sample of what your list might look like to help guide you along the way:

Career Must Haves:

1- Creativity:  The ability to work in an environment that will allow me to be creative and stretch myself to learn and explore new ways of working and creating.

2-Collaboration:  Working within an environment of peers and colleagues where we can share ideas and co-create in a meaningful way.

3-Flexibility:  Having the ability to work flexible hours so long as the work gets done and is on time.

4- Autonomy:  Knowing that others are confident in my work to allow me to be free to work without having someone micro-manage my every move.

5- Pay:  Knowing that I am compensated for my work fairly and equitably without having to constantly prove my worth or value to the company or justify my pay against my peers

6-Advancement:  Knowing that I am considered a valuable employee and that I have opportunity to advance in my career through promotion, pay, perks, etc

7-Education:  Knowing I am encouraged and able to take classes, training and seminars to help further my career and learning so that I am considered a valuable addition to the team.

8-Acknowledgement:  Having my peers and superiors openly acknowledge my accomplishments and encourage me with positive feedback.

9-Stability:  Having a stable and steady work environment without too much change or uncertainty about reporting relationships, job duties, changing priorities, etc.

10-Communication:  Working for a company that has open communication both internal and external and values the views and opinions, suggestions and advice from it’s employees.

Your Career Can’t Stands can include many of the things you do not want or would not appreciate in a job following much the same format.  This is just a sample list but there are many more areas where you can develop a list to include what aspects of your next job you want and what you can do without.

Looking for a job?  Find us at www.greenlightjobs.com

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so which ride will you choose?  Roller-coasters, ferris wheels, merry-go-rounds, when your job search resembles the ups and downs, the thrills and spills of a carnival amusement park, do you ever stop & think, one more time around or is it time to get off?

Finding your place in the rhythm and rhyme and the bright lights and jangling sounds of the rides may remind you of the circus your job search has become. You may think it’s time to buy another ticket and stand in line for the new ride or you may feel like it’s time to eat some more cotton candy and watch the others take their turn.  Whatever your point of view, it’s up to you to decide what best suits you and how best to manage your job search expectations.

Nothing feels like the thrill and excitement when you experience a new ride for the first time. The thrill is often tinged with a sense of nervous anticipation as you feel the adrenaline course through your system. Your job search can often times have you feeling the same way.  There is always some excitement in experiencing something new.  The thought that you are about to embark on a new adventure when you seek new employment, much like the thrill of a new ride, may have you nervous and excited at the same time.  It’s good to go with the flow and allow yourself to be caught up in the excitement of feeling something new and the anticipation of what a new job may hold. It’s important to harness that feeling but remember too much or a good thing can sometimes make you sick.

Your job search anticipation should hold with it the fun and joy you feel when you try something new. Holding onto that feeling is important because just like the sudden dip of a roller coaster, you may begin to feel that although this is fun, you really wish the ride were over. Managing your expectations during your job search is as important as all of the other skills you need when looking for a new job. Staying in the moment and embracing the experience for all that it holds will help keep you centered and make you able to truly enjoy the process. Finding the excitement in every interview, in every meeting, in every phone call or email requesting your engagement in your job search is like the thrill of your first amusement park ride.

When you engage yourself fully and enjoy the process no matter what twist and turns your job search may take, you can make the most out of the experience no matter what risks it holds.  Finding the balance in everything even if it means taking the thrills with the spills helps you manage your expectations even when the job search process is less than thrilling.

So, even when you think it’s time to take another spin around the ferris wheel savor the feeling of joy and excitement but remember the ride doesn’t end here, new opportunities await for those of you willing to take a chance.

Looking for a job?  Find us at www.greenlightjobs.com

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What would you do if you ran out of gas on a lonely, deserted road?  Would you sit and wait with your blinkers flashing in the black of night?  Would you put up flares in the road hoping that some random passer-by might stop to help?  Do you crack the window, lock the doors and pray that a police car will drive by?  Or, do you take your life into your own hands and figure out a way to get out of there fast? When the road is filled with obstacles and choices that might not always appear correct, will you be the one to sit it out or get out of the car and create your own opportunity.

When it comes to your job search, it’s not enough for you to post, pray and wait for an email suggesting you click on a link and upload your resume to a company career site where a corporate recruiter may call you for an interview for a job you might not really want.  It’s time for you to create your “job-opportunity” and reach for the phone and start dialing for deliverance.  You need to find a way to help others help you. You can start by creating an easy way for people who are in positions to help you know what you are looking for and what you really want.  Just because you may be unemployed and your bills are piling up and okay, maybe you are feeling a bit desperate, does not mean you should sell yourself short.  Consider how you can create an opportunity where one might not readily exist.

What the job seeker often fails to think about is who is sitting on the other side of the interview desk and how that person might be in a position to help.  Just because there isn’t a job requisition with your name on it does not mean there isn’t a job that’s right for you in the company you want to work for.  CREATE your opportunity-don’t be afraid to consider options that the recruiter may not have already thought of. No one knows what you want better than you do. DESIGN your next job by helping others think about where you might be a good fit even if there is not an exact job opening.  INVENT your opportunity by asking questions about new businesses, areas of interest and growth in the company and quickly think on your feet by seeing where your skills might be a good fit.  BELIEVE you are able to create, design and invent your job-opportunity even if one is not staring you in the face.

Having the ability to think creatively about yourself and be flexible about where a company might benefit from having you on their staff is the first step to not feeling trapped in a car waiting for someone to bail you out.  When you know that you are in charge of your career and take charge of your career, you eliminate the fear of waiting for the job to find you.  In this market, you could be waiting a very long time.

Remember, it’s not enough to put up the flares, signal for help and pray that someone will find you in the crowd of thousands and KNOW that you are the perfect candidate. Sometimes it’s up to you to figure that out for the recruiter, hiring manager or prospective employer before someone who is a bit more creative than you beats you to the punch.  Don’t wait for highway patrol to find you.  Make every effort to be seen and get the help you need to create your next job-opportunity before someone else offers you the kind of help you may not want or need. Think the movie, “The Hitchhiker!”

Looking for a job?  Find us at www.greenlightjobs.com

Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lisakayeglj

Follow greenlightjobs on Twitter http://twitter.com/greenlightjobs

And, on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/pub/2/abb/508