We all have days where nothing seems to go right, but in job search, they can be particularly paralyzing. What should you do if you’re stuck in one of those days where no one is calling or emailing you back, you can’t fix an error you just discovered in your resume, the cat throws up on the rug and the people from the interview you had a week ago seem to have fallen off the planet?

My short answer is:  something else. Get away from your desk and even your phone and shake things up a bit. Get outside if it’s nice, call another job seeker and see if you can help him or her, bake something for a neighbor, take a walk, brush the dog, you get the idea. Don’t just sit there thinking that by sheer persistence you can make the phone ring.

As a career coach who has worked with thousands of people in transition over the past 18 years, I’m a big believer in breaks. And I’m not talking about booking a cruise–just an afternoon where you go to the movies or do something you can enjoy. How do these help? They refresh us, keep us going and help us gain a better perspective. So work hard on your search but don’t forget to take some time off, too.

Spoke on the phone today with a former client who was as excited as she has landed a new job. As we talked about it and I asked her to walk me through the steps, an interesting thing surfaced. The company had placed an ad for a Sales Manager but a few weeks later took it off their website. When she called to find out if she was in the running, HR told her that the company had decided not to fill that position.

Fast forward a few months and my client gets a call from the same company and learns that a different division needed a sales manager and asked HR to share the resumes they had previously collected. Hers was chosen because they knew she was in transition and might be more open to an opportunity that was temp to perm. In other words, being out of work made her a more attractive candidate. She went on the interview and got the job. So don’t assume that your current status, if you’re out of work, is a disadvantage.

Register Now!

What’s Stopping You From Landing the Job You Want?

Tuesday, March 13th from 9:30-11:30am

Hamilton Public Library, Hamilton, NJ

Jean will cover common obstacles that often get in the way of job seekers, how to stay motivated and organized and ways to make the process more enjoyable. In this interactive session, Jean will answer questions and be available with copies of her first book, “Eliminated! Now What? Finding Your Way from Job-Loss Crisis to Career Resilience.”

Register Here – http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2617190086 

I went on an interview recently and gave myself a good talking to–both as I prepared for it and on my way to their office–reminding myself that this was probably more of a networking meeting and not to expect much in the way of results. Because I almost always tell my clients to visualize success–to know what they want before an interview–I was in a strange way doing the opposite because my interactions with the company had led me to believe that it wasn’t a match. I had learned about the compensation (way below my most recent level) and that they had an immediate need that would have put me back into the kind of work that I had intentionally left many years ago, that would have also involved a killer commute. 

As I told my friends after:  “Yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks!” meaning that I was surprised and that the outcome was way more than I had expected. As I thought about it I realized that my “low expectations” had helped me be relaxed and probably improved my listening skills as I wasn’t trying to sell anything to the two interviewers. Of course I wanted them to know who I am and what I can do, but that happened in a very natural, easy going way. And I found it wasn’t difficult to let them know which kinds of work would be the best match, and when asked about compensation, I didn’t get specific but simply stated that I was confident we could come to an agreement.

I did follow my own advice after the interview and wrote down my analysis:  “This was a yes-yes. A this is who I am and this is who you are and wouldn’t it be fun to do business together. It felt like mutual admiration.” Of course I wrote my thank-you notes and we established a time frame for next steps. The wonderful thing about this interview experience is that even if it doesn’t lead to an offer, I felt affirmed and valued. A great result!

I was on the phone recently with another career counselor, and since he knows I’m in transition, he asked me how my stress levels are. We talked about that a bit and then he said that most people just exchange the stress of a job for the stress of job search and never give themselves that quiet time, do nothing time to really get in touch with their deepest self. He told me to “experience stillness” and that from that place something new will grow. Not easy to do but I think he’s right. He also said that in his practice most job seekers get addicted to crisis mode–you know, I’ve got to do this right now because… A lot to think about.

This reminded me of a former client of mine who couldn’t stop searching even after hours at his computer. We had talked about balance, we had discussed self-care and how important that was, but nothing helped. He was still driving himself and his family crazy so one day I told him that I had a present for him. His face lit up until he saw my gift:  a piece of paper with a large, black X on it. I said to him, “Starting at 5PM every day, I want you to tape this over your monitor. You are done your work for the day and must wait until the next day to go back online.” He agreed to try it, and although I think he had a few slips where he sneaked back to his desk after everyone was asleep, it helped him stop.

I can’t say if this is what helped him land a new job which he did, but I do think it helped him not run himself into the ground. Put in a good 20-30 hours of week of smart searching (that means don’t just answer internet ads but network, research companies, go to job search group meetings, etc.) and then enjoy your remaining time. Take a walk, read a good book, visit a neighbor, take a class–do things you enjoy. It might just help you land your next opportunity.

I was recently chatting with another career coach and when I told him that I’d been let go by a major outplacement firm after 15+ years of service, he commented that there was something particularly ironic about that. I agreed. After all,  my work consisted of meeting with people who had just been let go, and working with them through the search process. That would certainly make me prepared for what was coming, right? Wrong.

The full answer is I was somewhat prepared. I knew that as the company I worked for had acquired another company, job cuts were likely. My resume was in shape and I had spent a few months exploring some job leads. But here’s what hit me:

•         I didn’t like the way I was notified (impersonal and cold with no mention of what I’d done for the company)
• I was stunned that most of my colleagues kept silent even after I had sent out a short email about my upcoming departure
• I felt lost and devalued
• I missed being part of a team
• And I was blown away by how quickly my work was forgotten.

Another confession. When I was working and a client told me something like, “I just can’t believe how busy I am. I don’t know how I had time to work!” my thinking was:  you’ve lost your structure and have become  inefficient. But now that I’m on the job seeking side of the great divide, I find myself saying the same thing and I don’t think I’m disorganized or running in circles. What I do think is that my life has much more variety in it. Every day is different, and if I want to take a short break from my search and run my dog  in the nearby field, I can do it. If I want to have lunch with an elderly neighbor, I make it happen. And I’m volunteering once a week at the local hospital which is rewarding. I’m also allowing myself to live with much less stress which means I don’t have to race from one thing to another.

If you’re part of an organization and colleagues are let go, please reach out to them. Invite them for lunch or talk on the phone. It will make a huge difference. And if, like me, you’re one of the thousands who have been let go, remember you own your value which hasn’t changed, your true friends will stay in touch with you, and make sure to keep your networking active as it’s really encouraging to make new friends, too. And one last thing–get over your pride and be the one to reach out if you don’t hear from people. They’ll be glad you did, and so will you. 

What happens to many people as they look for work? They become stuck, inefficient and discouraged. To become more productive and get to your next job, you’ve got to think differently, perhaps seeing yourself as a one-person business.  So now you’re CEO of You, Inc.  Here are some initial questions to consider:

Have you set goals that are realistic and that excite you?

Where have you had traction so far?

What is clearly not working?

Where do you need help?

The reason you want goals that engage you is that they will be easier to accomplish. As a career coach, when I work with someone who is having difficulty getting things done, I often find that they’re not really interested in the work they’re pursuing. And by realistic I mean that you have the resources (time, money, patience, education, and so on) to reach your goals.

Next, pay attention to what’s working and what isn’t. Are you getting calls from the postings you’ve answered? Are recruiters calling you? Or are you finding that doors are opening as a result of your connections or networking? Do more of what’s working and less of what isn’t. (I know this sounds simplistic but you’d be amazed at how many job seekers are addicted to techniques that aren’t working.)

And lastly, where could someone else help you? If you’re having difficulty finding quality information, you might need to sit down with your local reference librarian. Or if you aren’t reaching out to people, you could get help growing your networking skills. Perhaps your resume isn’t as strong as it could be—look for resources to help you make it more effective (free community-based groups or a career coach.)

Now let’s look at the trademarks of a search that’s run as if it’s your own company. Distinguishing factors would be:

 A daily or weekly schedule of at least 25 hours a week

Good organization—a spreadsheet for contacts as well as a system for tracking your major activities

A clear communication strategy that  includes who you are, what you’re good at, why you’re seeking a new opportunity and what sets you apart from others

An emphasis on networking as this is the best way to:

— tap into the unpublished job market

–get advice that will save you time and effort

–motivate others to help you

  Relentless follow up. (Because it is in the second, third or fourth time you connect with someone that you get the best help.)

To re-energize your job search, make sure you’re invested in your goals, pay attention to what’s working and what isn’t, and run your search as if it were your own company. And a last word of advice:  be as flexible as possible and try not to say “no” to ideas that sound dubious. Getting to that next opportunity is rarely a straight line and help comes from surprising places.