Great Occupations

You know, as well as I, that you can go to an event in a room filled with people and leave without making any connections. I know because I've observed it for many years. And until I became a savvy networker, I used to do it too! The Scene: You sit at a round table with 7 other strangers at a professional luncheon. You and the people at your table hardly make eye contact as you busy yourselves with eating, maybe politely asking someone to pass the salt. The presentation starts... Read the rest of this entry »

Dress for success in the interview, but consider how your appearance helps you advance your career as well. I once interviewed a woman who told me about her first real job out of college and how she moved forward in her career to the next level because of how she dressed. Read the rest of this entry »

It feels really awkward to get in touch with former colleagues and old friends you’ve lost touch with. After all, you don’t want them to think you are only contacting them because you need a job, even if that’s the truth of the matter. What do you do? Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve developed a new philosophy… I only dread one day at a time. – Charlie Brown

When I was a kid, I loved watching all the Peanuts specials on TV. The characters were so awesome. Snoopy, who entertained himself in his boredom with a wild imagination. Linus, who was brilliant but full of insecurities. Sally with her naturally curly hair and over-abundance of vanity about it. Schroeder’s intensity and single-minded determination about playing the piano. Lucy, the bossy, busy-body, know-it-all nag. And poor Charlie Brown. He tried and tried but seemed doomed to eternal failure.

Though it didn’t always seem like it, Charlie Brown’s greatest strength was is persistent optimism and his willingness to keep trying. Sure, he’d indulge in frequent pity parties, but he always seemed to pull out of them in the end, especially when his faithful friend, Linus, gave him a boost. To me, “never give up” seems to be one of the main messages Peanuts’ creator, Charles Schultz, wished to portray through his characters’ interplay.

If you are a fan of the Peanuts like I was, you will remember how Charlie Brown repeatedly tried to kick the football that Lucy held for him. She always pulled it away, and he always landed on his rump. Over and over. Lucy never gave him quarter.

But he kept at it and kept at it. Whether you’re simply trying to find a good job or you’re trying to find your mission in life, the lesson Charlie Brown teaches us is to never give up. Career development is a life long endeavor. Once you find that good job or figure out your mission in life, you should always look ahead to what needs to happen next for you. Life is constantly in motion, and change is inevitable. Imagine Lucy representing the concept of the challenge of change and Charlie Brown asks how long before he can trust that the ball will be still and not be pulled from under him. In other words, how long does he have to wait before life gives him no more surprises? And she answers, “How long? All your life, Charlie Brown… All your life.”

Okay, so we get it that the stress of life changing is ongoing. Does this mean that you need to give up on trying to deal with it? Throw your hands up the in air and “dread each day” like Charlie Brown? Remember… Charlie Brown kept going back to the ball. That’s the true lesson here. And there are simple techniques you can use to manage the inevitable stress of life and the incredible stress of an ongoing job search.

Tune in to The Job Search Boot Camp Show on Saturday, March 20, when Regina Moser will talk to us about “Taking Care of Brand U.” She will give us practical tips on managing the stress of job search. If you miss the live show, be sure to visit the site later to hear the recording. Turn on your speakers, click on the show title and enjoy! You can also later find recordings of this show and others as free podcasts in the iTunes store.

Angela Loëb is an author, speaker and career coach. She and her partner, Jay Markunas, help people make successful career transitions through workshops, webclasses and 2×1 individualized coaching services. Listen to them on The Job Search Boot Camp Show. Find out more about their programs & services at www.greatoccupations.com.