This is turning out to be one of the more interesting weeks of my life. As I was sitting at my desk coaching a client on Wednesday, my home office started to shake for around 8-10 seconds. It stopped and then started again for another 10 seconds or so. This was the earthquake that hit the entire east coast from the Deep South up to New England. Thankfully it was only a mild natural disaster and there was no major damage.
Now as I'm writing this post, my family and I are awaiting the onset of hurricane Irene which is expected to wreak havoc where I live in a lowland area surrounded by Sheepshead Bay and the Atlantic Ocean; and I'm deciding if we should evacuate today before the storm hits, whether to weather out the storm at home, or whether Mayor Michael Bloomberg will schedule a mandatory evacuation in my area. It is still unknown whether Irene will be as mild as the earthquake on Wednesday, as fierce as Katrina, or somewhere in between.
So, why am I telling you this when you're expecting my usual Career Services advice and not a weather report?
The reason is these natural disasters got me thinking how fragile the workplace is and the uncertainty people face whether they are employed or unemployed, and the decisions people need to make on an ongoing basis.
This reminds us all that out of nowhere our lives can be altered without prior notice, or the disaster we anticipated can turn out to be just a fraction of the problem we had planned for.
My point today is if it does come to worst case scenario our foremost focus should be on survival.
These natural disasters also occurred the same week I watched a movie that made a real impression on me and I think it will for all of you as well.
The Company Men, released in January 2011, tells the following story: Bobby Walker (a national sales manager) is living the American dream: great job, beautiful family, shiny sports car in the garage. When corporate downsizing leaves him and co-workers Phil Woodward (VP National Sales) and Gene McClary (Divisional COO) jobless, the three men are forced to come to grips with the new realities of life in corporate America, and to re-define their lives as men, husbands, and fathers.
Bobby soon finds himself enduring over enthusiastic life coaching, job interviews from hell, a job building houses for his brother-in-law which does not play to his executive skill set, the value of family and the realization that there can be more to life than chasing the bigger, better deal.
Of the three, Bobby's story is the one I think most people here can relate to. Without any notice he is fired after 12 years of exemplary service and given 12 weeks severance pay and 4 months of outplacement for his efforts.
As the seasons roll by, Bobby learns valuable lessons about "Job Hunting in the 21st Century – The New Reality." Since I recommend you watch this movie (I rate it 5-stars) I will just discuss a few of the lessons Bobby learned in his job search, often the hard way, and you can see for yourself if any apply to you as well.
1: Don't let your ego get in the way of your decision making while you look for a job. Keep an even keel and know that the business world has changed over the past few years and you need to change with it.
2: There is no shame in being downsized and out of work. So don't keep secrets from your spouse, children, family and close friends.
3: Rather than keep your plight a secret confide in people you trust and get them to help you. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the results.
4: The line I love the best is an exchange between Bobby and his wife after x-# of months of his looking for a job without results. Bobby: "I'm not just another ass—- out there with a resume; I'm a professional with a lot of skills." Wife: No Bobby, I'm afraid that's exactly what you are!"
It is important to be confident, maintain high self-esteem, and believe you are the best, most qualified candidate out there. Just don't lose perspective that over 60% of the people applying for the same job share that same attitude and mindset with you. Therefore your resume has to shine and set you apart as does everything you do and say in your job search efforts.
5: Hold out as long as you can, but when reality sets in and you need a paycheck rather than a career don't fight it; especially if you have family obligations. Don't wait too long until you run-through your savings. Try and earn something from Day 1 other than unemployment. Take what you can and keep looking. The idea is to survive so you can fight another day. Putting yourself in dire financial straits is not the way to go.
6: Know what is really important in life and what is an aberration. Being unemployed can often give you a new perspective on who you are and what your priorities should be. If you are unemployed use your time wisely and don't sulk.
As with the earthquake that gives us no prior warning, or the hurricane that we can only estimate its timing and impact, we all need to be prepared for a disaster at work and stay strong after it happens.
To this end I suggest everyone (employed and unemployed) should speak with a career coach to assess where you stand and what you need to do to survive and get ahead in the corporate jungle.
Author:
Perry Newman, CPC CSMS is a nationally recognized executive resume writer, career coach, AIPC certified recruiter and SMMU certified social media strategist known for his ability to help his clients get results. You can view his sample resumes at
http://www.perrynewman.com, and email him your resume at
perry@perrynewman.com for FREE resume critique.
A recent article from the Wall Street Journal took a look at ways that a job seeker can update his or her resume to suit the needs of hiring managers in 2011. While the article focused on individuals who have been out of work for 10 or more years, the tips provided are well suited for anyone who is looking for a job in today’s competitive workforce. If you are on the job hunt and are looking for advice, here are some highlights from the article to take with you as you work on your resume.
