Most of us spend 5 out of 7 days of every week working. You don’t need to be Isaac Newton to realise that that’s a pretty hefty fraction. And if those 5 working days do not bring us some level of satisfaction, stimulation and personal achievement even in times like this, then we are simply living for the weekend – and spending that weekend quietly dreading the week ahead
Assess the Here & Now – your current role
First off work hard on making your current job work. We all know the market in tight so it is not ideal to be moving unless really needed for your personal sanity. Figure out if you could upgrade your personal motivation as this will help
Be Honest with yourself
Admit that you feel despondent and are working in auto pilot. Be aware of this feeling rather than trying to deny or change it. When you take stock and begin to see more clearly you will know what changes are needed. Chunk it down into manageable steps.
Maybe you could really work on improving your relationship with your boss/colleagues? Look around and see how others handle the boss – could you do anything differently? Could you learn to better manage your boss’s expectations of you and your expectations of the organization you work for?
The key to motivation is to know the benefits your current job gives you. Be very clear on what advantages you will gain and what you will loose in making a move. Weight it up.
Put Things in Perspective
Celebrate the fact you have a job in this market! Many don’t. Put your job in perspective. Focus on what you can do as opposed to what you feel you cant within your work and know what is working for you in your life and what you are thankful for ensure you are also sufficiently developing your life outside of work too as you will then automatically transfer this good energy into work. – avoid blaming work for all your discontentment.
Celebrate your Successes
Come up for air and take note of what you have achieved and celebrate these things. Avoid being too hard on yourself. Set realistic goals.
If you have spent a considerable time assessing the above and really feel you do need a job then it is essential you get to grips with the following 10 key things that determine and affect your success in your job hunt.
1. Ask yourself what you want now?
What are your needs going forward? What do you not want? What are you willing to sacrifice if needs be? The sooner you realise you may need to make sacrifices but can weigh these up against other benefits the easier a move will be.
2. Knowledge of the Market
Take time out to research who is out there and what type of operations or organizations hold an interest for you. Get informed so you are not facing this blind. Create your top 10 company wish list. Get clever think outside the box and consider what industries in this market are doing well/not doing well? Know your transferable skills you can bring with you.
3. How are you going to go about sourcing a role?
Make a pact with yourself to tap into your contacts and network – in a market like this it’s a great thing. Consider the direct approach too along with Irish jobs and agencies.
4. Consider if there is any up skilling needed on your part
This may not involve a huge investment in your hard earned cash but may give you a great confidence boost and create a message to a future employer that you are striving to be the best that you can be.
5. Ensure you have a good measure of Work/Life Balance in place to make this move actually happen
From my experience in working with clients in the context of career change those who make sufficient time for themselves to plan, refuel and prioritise what they need have a greater success. Those who do not prioritise their own self care are often too stressed to plan or make a move and can often “knee jerk” into a role which does not serve them.
6. Set clear/realistic timelines
By when do you hope to have moved? What will be your milestones along the way? When are you going to follow-up on that application? Drill down and lock your timelines firmly into place to ensure you are keeping to your plan.
7. Know your motivation for doing this
What will a job change give you? What will you gain? How will this positively impact on your life? Motivation and action go hand in hand so get crystal clear on your motivation for doing this and it will keep you going even if you do encounter set backs.
8. Accept Personal Responsibility for this
This is your career change and your potential success. You own this goal -nobody else so take that ownership and nurture your process. Avoid blaming others or playing the victim. Yes times are tough but with some hard but rewarding work you could find your ideal role – I have seen it happen frequently even in this market
9. Assess your Interview Skills
This goes without saying. No point in having a polished up CV and a very good strategy in place for approaching the market and getting visible if you land an interview and don’t perform to your best. Be aware of your potential pitfall areas in an interview. Get clear on reasons for leaving each role and work on creating a consistent message in the interview so you stack up. Don’t forget your personality plays a huge part. Try to enjoy and engage!
10. Keep Ploughing on
Understand this is a competitive market so you may get set backs along the way –its all part of the process. Learn from any mistakes take note of what you would do differently next time; get clear on your levels of success. The key is to keep going and continue to prioritise and remain proactive.
-ends-
Career Coach Jane Downes runs the Clearview Coaching Group
IrishJobs.ie has been helping people find the job they want for over 20 years. Our team is delighted to share our job hunting tips and advice with you.