The Take Aways
- Don’t panic. Take some to grieve and rebalance your self confidence.
- Organize your space and technology, the tools you will need for your new full-time job: finding a new job
- Understand your Value Brand Statement, the cornerstone of your messaging for your interview and interviews
- Master the daily routine
- Keep a journal. Daily journaling will help you stay organized and focused
- Consult a career advisor from your industry
- Check out our non-obligation consult
A sudden job loss wreaks havoc on one’s normal daily routine. Unless you have always worked from your home this change will probably be more than just a little unsettling.
Getting up and going to work is a time-honored tradition in America, evidence that you are a productive member of society, a valued employee, a good provider. When suddenly you wake up and you have no place to go, well that is a shock to the system.
Don’t Panic!
After a couple of weeks of catching up on household projects and playing numerous rounds of golf, not having a job begins to work on us mentally — what if I can’t pay the mortgage? What will local merchants think of me if I bounce a check? How will we pay for the kids school supplies and events? What will the neighbors think? These or similar concerns are normal but don’t dwell on them. For the majority of executives, it all works out well in the end.
Let’s be realistic. Job loss in today’s economic climate is an every day occurrence. It is happening to a lot of people, the capable as well as those who struggle with their performance. The necessary thing to remember is that if/when it happens to you there are some important points to remember:
Six Steps to Take
- Take some time: It is OK to take a few days or a few weeks to grieve. Do not plunge into immediate panic mode. Rushing to interviews is usually a bad idea. The time to prepare yourself emotionally and mentally to go-to-market will be time well spent. This is the time when you can catch up on those household projects, focus on your hobbies or the stacks of magazines and books you always promised finish.
- Get Organized with your space and technology: If you do not have a dedicated home office from which to work create one, preferably that provides for privacy and some space away from the every day distractions — kids playing, babies crying, dogs barking, etc. While you are at it, this is when you cast a critical eye to your cell phone reception and internet connection speed. Dropped calls during an interview, or the freeze frames during a Skype video are all on you. If you do not consistently have maximum reception or peak speed, now is the time get a land line telephone and to upgrade your internet speed.
- The first step: The first step in actually starting the process of your job search is to develop a strategy that is anchored with developing or updating your Value Brand Statement (VBS), aka your value proposition which is today’s elevator speech – why people should hire you. The VBS is the cornerstone of your messaging strategy, how you communicate through your resume and interviews.
- Master the daily routine: It has been saidmany times by many people that the process of finding a new job IS a full-time job. As a reminder, most full-time jobs require at least six to eight hours a day to achieve success. This is where most executives stumble in their job search. They do not put in the time that it takes to land a new position. Establish regular “office hours” and during those hours plan your day, from building your professional network to developing and executing a strategic networking strategy using LinkedIn and other platforms. There are emails to write, telephone calls to be made and coffees and networking group meetings to attend. You should update your personal network database every day.
- Keep a journal: If you are not already keeping a professional journal, shame on you. But it is never too late to start. Keeping an accurate record of your LinkedIn connections and follow-ups, as well as telephone calls made, and any new networking contacts outside LinkedIn will prevent any slip-ups in your followup. For many executives the practice of finding a job is not second nature. Keeping detailed notes in your journal will help you connect the dots to important job search intel.
- Consult an expert: If you have not been in the job market during the last three years, you ware probably in for a bit of a shock. The processes are changing and clients are being more discerning what they will, or will not, accept. You can save some time and emotional distress by consulting with an experienced career adviser who understands today’s job market. It can be money well spent, some executive say. Many firms will offer a non-obligation assessment consult to help you on your way.
No Obligation Consultation
If you are in a job transition and would like some guidance, contact us – we are here to help you. JohnGSelf + Partners provides a no-obligation career transition guidance consultation. To schedule your assessment, email us: careertransitions@johngself.com