Job Security and Career Management Will This Ever End

Job Security and Career Management Will This Ever End Last week I shared an article on LinkedIn written by Mike Ballard titled Search Strategy the landscape has changed for job seekers.  On the Job-Hunt group Bonnie made an interesting and appropriate comment: Jason, it is sad because the process has no end. If one follows even a fraction of the job search advice and recommendations, it is truly a full time job with overtime. Its true if you are in a transition, and are not working right now, then your job search should be a full-time job.  I got beat up on a radio show once by someone saying the average time a person spends on a job search, per week, is 10 hours.  If you have responsibilities (bills, spouse, kids, etc.) then 10 hours a week is not enough.  Especially if you are looking for a job that pays a lot (because it typically takes a long time to land those). Bonnie continues, listing the things were supposed to do: Get active on LI. Participate in groups. Research companies and people. Follow leaders on social media. Study about and write personalized resumes and cover letters. Go to networking events. Watch webinars. Read and write blogs. Get an About me page. Google everything. She listed things that Ive heard over the last 8+ years the experts will indeed claim you have to do these things.  Thats one of the problems with so many experts.  Youll get advice thats all over the place, and many of them say you HAVE TO do this(, OR ELSE)! But we only have so much time.  Each of us has our own strengths and weaknesses.  Some of us will gravitate towards research (quiet, peaceful, stressless) while a very small group of others will actually pick up the phone and network.  The extroverts will be fine to go to network meetings, others would rather stay in their pajamas, stay home and read and write blog posts.  Whats the answer?  Whats the best strategy? I dont know I think it depends on YOU, your market, what you are looking for, etc.  There are too many variables to say that everyone must do the same things you need to figure out what your job search strategy should look like, and determine what from the list from experts, you keep, and what you throw away. For example, I would put a Twitter strategy at the bottom of the list of tactics for most people (unless you are in marketing, and even then its questionable). I would suggest you dont spend too much time reading blog posts, because that can take a lot of time, and get too comfortable.  Most people arent ready to start writing blog posts they need to do a lot of other stuff first, before they write blog posts. Just because an expert said you MUST do it doesnt mean that you should spend time on it.  Figure out what is best for you to do, and what will get closer to landing a job, and spend your time there. I wasted a LOT of time in my job search doing the wrong things.  Eventually I pulled back, evaluated tactics and paybacks, and regrouped.  Heres a blog post outlining what I did wrong, and what I should have done: Job Search Tips: What I Should Have Done In The First 30 Days Should you do it all?  NO!  Figure out your job search strategy, throw enough me time stuff in there to keep sane (like exercise, meditation, etc.), and take this step-by-step.  And quickly stop doing things that are a waste of time (or, that dont get you closer to landing the job you want/need). I know its overwhelming.  At some point, you have to turn the experts off and just start doing the right things to land your job. Job Security and Career Management Will This Ever End Last week I shared an article on LinkedIn written by Mike Ballard titled Search Strategy the landscape has changed for job seekers.  On the Job-Hunt group Bonnie made an interesting and appropriate comment: Jason, it is sad because the process has no end. If one follows even a fraction of the job search advice and recommendations, it is truly a full time job with overtime. Its true if you are in a transition, and are not working right now, then your job search should be a full-time job.  I got beat up on a radio show once by someone saying the average time a person spends on a job search, per week, is 10 hours.  If you have responsibilities (bills, spouse, kids, etc.) then 10 hours a week is not enough.  Especially if you are looking for a job that pays a lot (because it typically takes a long time to land those). Bonnie continues, listing the things were supposed to do: Get active on LI. Participate in groups. Research companies and people. Follow leaders on social media. Study about and write personalized resumes and cover letters. Go to networking events. Watch webinars. Read and write blogs. Get an About me page. Google everything. She listed things that Ive heard over the last 8+ years the experts will indeed claim you have to do these things.  Thats one of the problems with so many experts.  Youll get advice thats all over the place, and many of them say you HAVE TO do this(, OR ELSE)! But we only have so much time.  Each of us has our own strengths and weaknesses.  Some of us will gravitate towards research (quiet, peaceful, stressless) while a very small group of others will actually pick up the phone and network.  The extroverts will be fine to go to network meetings, others would rather stay in their pajamas, stay home and read and write blog posts.  Whats the answer?  Whats the best strategy? I dont know I think it depends on YOU, your market, what you are looking for, etc.  There are too many variables to say that everyone must do the same things you need to figure out what your job search strategy should look like, and determine what from the list from experts, you keep, and what you throw away. For example, I would put a Twitter strategy at the bottom of the list of tactics for most people (unless you are in marketing, and even then its questionable). I would suggest you dont spend too much time reading blog posts, because that can take a lot of time, and get too comfortable.  Most people arent ready to start writing blog posts they need to do a lot of other stuff first, before they write blog posts. Just because an expert said you MUST do it doesnt mean that you should spend time on it.  Figure out what is best for you to do, and what will get closer to landing a job, and spend your time there. I wasted a LOT of time in my job search doing the wrong things.  Eventually I pulled back, evaluated tactics and paybacks, and regrouped.  Heres a blog post outlining what I did wrong, and what I should have done: Job Search Tips: What I Should Have Done In The First 30 Days Should you do it all?  NO!  Figure out your job search strategy, throw enough me time stuff in there to keep sane (like exercise, meditation, etc.), and take this step-by-step.  And quickly stop doing things that are a waste of time (or, that dont get you closer to landing the job you want/need). I know its overwhelming.  At some point, you have to turn the experts off and just start doing the right things to land your job. Job Security and Career Management Will This Ever End Last week I shared an article on LinkedIn written by Mike Ballard titled Search Strategy the landscape has changed for job seekers.  On the Job-Hunt group Bonnie made an interesting and appropriate comment: Jason, it is sad because the process has no end. If one follows even a fraction of the job search advice and recommendations, it is truly a full time job with overtime. Its true if you are in a transition, and are not working right now, then your job search should be a full-time job.  I got beat up on a radio show once by someone saying the average time a person spends on a job search, per week, is 10 hours.  If you have responsibilities (bills, spouse, kids, etc.) then 10 hours a week is not enough.  Especially if you are looking for a job that pays a lot (because it typically takes a long time to land those). Bonnie continues, listing the things were supposed to do: Get active on LI. Participate in groups. Research companies and people. Follow leaders on social media. Study about and write personalized resumes and cover letters. Go to networking events. Watch webinars. Read and write blogs. Get an About me page. Google everything. She listed things that Ive heard over the last 8+ years the experts will indeed claim you have to do these things.  Thats one of the problems with so many experts.  Youll get advice thats all over the place, and many of them say you HAVE TO do this(, OR ELSE)! But we only have so much time.  Each of us has our own strengths and weaknesses.  Some of us will gravitate towards research (quiet, peaceful, stressless) while a very small group of others will actually pick up the phone and network.  The extroverts will be fine to go to network meetings, others would rather stay in their pajamas, stay home and read and write blog posts.  Whats the answer?  Whats the best strategy? I dont know I think it depends on YOU, your market, what you are looking for, etc.  There are too many variables to say that everyone must do the same things you need to figure out what your job search strategy should look like, and determine what from the list from experts, you keep, and what you throw away. For example, I would put a Twitter strategy at the bottom of the list of tactics for most people (unless you are in marketing, and even then its questionable). I would suggest you dont spend too much time reading blog posts, because that can take a lot of time, and get too comfortable.  Most people arent ready to start writing blog posts they need to do a lot of other stuff first, before they write blog posts. Just because an expert said you MUST do it doesnt mean that you should spend time on it.  Figure out what is best for you to do, and what will get closer to landing a job, and spend your time there. I wasted a LOT of time in my job search doing the wrong things.  Eventually I pulled back, evaluated tactics and paybacks, and regrouped.  Heres a blog post outlining what I did wrong, and what I should have done: Job Search Tips: What I Should Have Done In The First 30 Days Should you do it all?  NO!  Figure out your job search strategy, throw enough me time stuff in there to keep sane (like exercise, meditation, etc.), and take this step-by-step.  And quickly stop doing things that are a waste of time (or, that dont get you closer to landing the job you want/need). I know its overwhelming.  At some point, you have to turn the experts off and just start doing the right things to land your job.