- Get “comfortable about being uncomfortable”
- As this was my first transition, it felt odd as I wasn’t sure what to do. It may feel odd. Embrace the feelings and work through it. Don’t point fingers and blame anyone, take control of your emotions and ‘figure it out’ yourself.
- The future doesn’t have to equal the past– “Paul Hill – The Panic Free Job Search”
- I remained open to all opportunities and looked at my transferable skills and what I truly love to do. What I enjoyed about work and what I didn’t.
- A positive mindset is “critical”
- You must remain extremely positive. Momentum breads momentum, whether it’s positive or negative. You choose how you think.
- Embrace Social Media– LinkedIn, Twitter and Face book
- Stay current and up to date. Post things that are relevant about who you are and what you believe in. Connect with people and build your “I-Brand”
- Be ‘clear’ on what you want next….and what you don’t want. Be honest with yourself.
- It’s important to be specific on exactly what you are looking for and the value you can bring to a company. You either help them make money or reduce expenses.
- Embrace Networking…and don’t stop even when you land your next role
- Networking is not looking for a job but meeting new people to create relationships that will benefit both yourself and them. 80% of jobs are found this way.
- Sell yourself to yourself.
- Would you hire yourself? Look in the mirror and sell yourself to yourself. Too often people are ‘looking for a job’ vs. positioning what they have to offer a company.
- “Toot your own horn”.
- It’s ok to let people know what you’ve accomplished. Insert these accomplishments throughout your conversations. Be proud of them.
- Exercise, get into shape.
- If you feel good physical, it will create more positive vibes. Plus, you have the time so there are no excuses.
- Create a “Transition Bucket List”…….if you have the runway (financial freedom/package).
- For me, as I had the time, I created a list of 10 things I wanted to do while I was off. Enjoy balancing the time off and networking.
- Have a “Plan”…..work your plan.
- Set goals weekly and measure your success. Number of new contacts, networking meetings, posting blogs on social media, etc. It’s a full-time job finding a job.
- “Don’t be a cheerleader and sit on the sidelines”…..get into the game.
- Too many people ‘sit back’ and wait for opportunities to come to them. Volunteer for associations like Happen. It’s no secret that your unemployed, you can’t hide it.
- Join ‘Happen’…..take advantage of meetings and presenters.
- A great organization that helped me during my transition. Take it ‘all in’ and then create “your” plan of attack.
- It’s ok to go to ‘Pity City’…..but you gotta get out.
- Yah it sucks to lose your job whether you were fired or downsized but you can’t stay there. You have to move on. Too many people have the ‘I lost my puppy dog’ look on their face, for too long.
- Master the art of Transition vs. just looking for a Job.
We are in a very unstable environment. You will most likely be in this situation again.
Steve Johnston s.johnston@rogers.com
