January 2003
Happy 2003! It's going to work out right for me...
By
President of Workforce Associates
and author of
NetWork: Maximizing Your Career Resources on the Internet
Available online and in print from Author House
January 2003
Happy 2003! It's going to work out right for me...
By
President of Workforce Associates
and author of
NetWork: Maximizing Your Career Resources on the Internet
Available online and in print from Author House
According to Edmund Morgan, biographer of Benjamin Franklin, "it is basic to our national character, this habit of giving ourselves instructions for living right." In spite of Franklin’s many failings, here are the thirteen virtues that he tried to live up to, starting on January 1 of every year: temperance, silence, order, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, resolution, chastity, and humility.
Franklin didn’t have to consider the modern world of work so let me suggest ten additional resolutions to help you make 2003 a successful one in job hunting and in your career:
I Resolve to be patient when you are searching for a new job. It takes anywhere from 3 to 6 months to find a job in your field at the pay scale you want. Job hunting techniques and electronic resume writing are skills that must be continually honed like your game of golf. You’ll be changing jobs every 3-5 years so keep a journal of the job hunting process — from lists of telephone calls to drafts of resumes to references. This will be valuable to you when you go through the process again.II Resolve to lower your lifestyle expectations so you can handle 3 to 6 months of unemployment. Forgo buying a new car or redecorating the laundry room; rethink how many cell phones and credit cards you must have. Tell your kids that you need to save for your own tuition, memberships in professional associations, career books, etc. You’ll find that if/when you’re looking for a new job this year that your sense of equanimity will be greater if you have at least 6 months of salary saved as a cushion to lean on. Panic sets in for those who don’t plan ahead. You’ll take a job too soon at a lower salary which will make it difficult for you when the right job does arrive.
III Resolve to work on your avocation and research possibly turning it into a vocation. If you like motor sports, for example, what new careers might there be in this field? If you are involved in your church, check on possibilities for careers in the every expanding world of non-profits. Don’t feel that you have to stay in the same field for the next ten years. Plenty of folks have groomed themselves to make major career changes. You can, too.
IV Resolve to resurrect your network. For example, make arrangements to have lunch every week with a friend, neighbor, or colleague. That means 52 active contacts when you’ll need them to pursue a new career or job this year. Resolve to help them in their job search, too. Contact the local job-searching group in your area. You’ll be surprised to learn that almost every metro area has at least one group of professionals who are over forty who are helping one another find jobs. Learn where and when this group meets and become a member well before you need to. This will give you another opportunity to meet new friends and contacts that may be helpful in your job search.
V Resolve to find a mentor in your current job or your new one. Ask someone whom you admire if they will mentor you. If there’s no one in your office who looks promising, look at your professional association or find someone in your field online. SCORE members may be a possibility as well for mentoring opportunities.
VI Resolve to rejoin your local and national professional association or become more active in it in 2003. You’ve been procrastinating too long, telling yourself that you’re too busy. No more excuses! Become active. You’ll find that your enthusiasm for your profession will be rekindled and you’ll have many more kindred spirits than you currently find around your cubicle.
VII Resolve to spend 1-3% of your income on your professional development. Subscribe to print and online publications in your field. Attend national meetings. Take courses for re-certification this year. Take out a book a week from the library on business subjects. Invest in books on tape for motivational help. You can also check out periodicals like the Harvard Business Review at your library to find out the latest developments. Your future employer will be glad that you did!
VIII Resolve to plan for a lifestyle that combines part time work with more leisure. You probably won’t or can’t retire cold turkey at age 65 but it’s never too soon to do financial planning to see if you can. Put 10% of your salary into savings so you can look forward to a reasonably comfortable lifestyle. Remind your kids that saving now means that you won’t be entirely dependent on them in the future.
IX Resolve to be pro-active in your kids’ career development. Guidance counselors are glorified scheduling clerks in most American high schools. And because they haven’t worked anywhere but in a school, they aren’t the best in guiding your kids to new and emerging careers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has an excellent website that looks ahead ten years to the promising new careers. They usually demand a solid math and science background and at least an Associates Degree.
If your kid is unsure of his/her career objectives, have them take professional assessment testing from a qualified psychologist in your area. The results will guide them sensibly to the right community college/vocational program/university in a field that is expanding.
This simple effort of investing in their career development will save your kids years of floundering in school, bouncing around from major to major. It will also save your pocketbook tons of money, knowing that your child is preparing for a career that he is temperamentally and educationally prepared for.
X Resolve to open yourself to helping other who are in a career transition. Be supportive, return calls, and help network. Remember from your own experience that unemployment can create a full-blown identity crisis. Job seekers may undergo a grieving process similar to grief over a death or a terminal illness.
All the best for a Happy New Year! Keep sending me your inquiries and electronic resumes to vet. I greatly enjoy getting to know my readers and helping you through the job searching quagmire. Please contact me at jlommel@WorkforceAssociates.com
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