Before I get to the career stuff, think about your own neighborhood. If it’s like mine, there is an assortment of yards.

• The neglected (overgrown/starved) with random clutter added to the scenery…
• The somewhat maintained that need attention, but aren’t out of sorts enough to get a visit from the Homeowners’ Association…
• The unpredictable that might look great or terrible depending on the week…
• The perfectly manicured with a team of outsiders visibly doing all of the work…
• The groomed, but overdone, with so much going on what could have been appealing becomes an eyesore…
• The inviting, interesting and well maintained with the homeowners often visible with their hands in the dirt working on maintaining and improving…

Now it’s time to think about your professional development and job search efforts in relation to the yards described above. Like a yard, successful efforts to grow professionally and to secure meaningful employment rely on property owners (that’s YOU!) consistently weeding, watering and planting skills, goals, network, work strategy and professional messaging.

Professionally speaking, my goal is always to resemble the final bullet. No matter my job search status, I’m actively engaged in making sure I’m learning new things, keeping current on what I’ve learned before and pulling out what I no longer need. Because it’s a consistent focus, I have 24/7 curb appeal, the labor involved in maintenance is manageable and on top of others finding me interesting, credible and motivated, I have an easier time viewing myself that way, too.

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My response to that is, “so what?” Great, you’ve proven you can do the job. It’s highly likely other candidates have, too. Making it into the “can do the job” pile of applications isn’t enough. You’ve still got to differentiate yourself from others who meet the basic capability requirements. What have you done to emerge as the “can do this job better than our other options” candidate? Above that, what have you done to inspire potential employers to view you as the best thing since sliced bread versus the best of whoever happened to apply for the job? Keep in mind, being the best of the bunch doesn’t matter if the bunch as a whole was a disappointment.

It’s unrealistic and unfair to think companies are going to make a choice solely by someone being able to do a job as it’s listed and that they’ll pick the best of what comes their way even if it’s not really what they want. Why? Because no one really makes choices that way when it comes to something important. Take buying a car or a home. As buyers we list off general features that are important to us. We note our requirements and preferences. Think of how many options we often have to weigh before we can pick the one that’s right for us. Though car dealers and realtors present us with a host of possibilities that “would do,” we don’t pull the trigger until the option that excites us comes our way. Sometimes the decision is immediate and other times there is a long series of starts and stops until the winner surfaces.

In a nutshell, quit expecting employers to approach a decision of how they want to spend tens of thousands of dollars with less consideration than you would. Remind yourself it’s normal to lose out to personal preference. Challenge yourself to look for the chemistry, on top of the capability fit, in the opportunities you chase.

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The rejection was unexpected and shocking. It’s hard enough to get news like this in situations when you’re going in cold and missing some of the requirements. Hearing “no thanks” when so much seems to be in your favor is awful. It’s one of those experiences that could easily drain the momentum from a job search and inspire emotions that make you more inclined to assume the fetal position than kick out another resume.

It’s possible my friend assumed the fetal position for a minute or two. She didn’t say and I didn’t ask. Sometimes you need a moment of grief to move forward.

What I do know is, whatever hurt and doubts she felt, she didn’t surrender her job search to them for long. She picked up the phone and called me. She didn’t mince words. “I got a rejection today that’s really thrown me and I need you to build me back up.” My assignment was clear and I took it seriously. We talked for a while and both came to the realization there were still things that could be done with this situation. We also moved on to talk about another opportunity she’s been preparing for.

By the time we got off the phone, my friend was in a better place. The sting was still there. Of course it was. The opportunity meant something to her. The rejection was no longer in danger of derailing her search, however. She reached out to someone who she trusted could insert objectivity back into her thoughts.

Everyone who is trying to navigate a search in this economic climate needs to do two things. One, identify that go-to person to call when the going gets rough. Two, make the call! Knowing who you should call does little good if failures and setbacks are internalized. Pick up the phone and tell the person you’ve designated as your “kick me out of this slump” wing man the truth.

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Diane is a wonderful woman with a solid professional background. I met her recently at a networking event. I sat beside her, actually. She immediately struck me as professional, smart and kind. During that meeting I was impressed enough to suggest she contact a company I might be able to help her gain some traction with.

Shortly after that meeting Diane did the right thing and followed-up with me so she could figure out the best way to move forward with my suggestion. Her call landed in my voice mail. When I played her message, her introduction made me want to weep.

“Hi Lisa. You probably don’t remember me. This is Diane. I met you at the (blank) group…” Probably don’t remember her?!?! How could I not remember her? She sat right beside me…3 days prior. We had a conversation.

So here is this fabulous woman who either doubts  my memory capabilities or, as I suspect is the real problem, doesn’t value herself enough to believe she’s memorable.

Diane is hardly alone. I get the same type of lead-in on emails and voice mail messages frequently. So many of the job seekers I encounter are struggling to believe they could possibly matter to others. This economy has done a number on the egos of countless professionals. The trouble is, once individuals convince themselves they aren’t valuable to others, they are susceptible to having those thoughts affect their actions. They pull back on applying for jobs that seem out of reach. They refrain from reaching out to people in influential circles because they are concerned about wasting those individuals’ time.

Perhaps Diane’s choice of words was a one time slip. Hard to say. What I want her to know is that I do indeed remember her. The impression she gave me from the start was solid. If she has any doubt in her mind that people she meets will hold on to the fact they did so, she can stomp on it. It doesn’t belong in her job search. She can skip the “you may not remember me” with the next person she follows up with.

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Other people are not responsible for your enlightenment. Sure, they can be involved in helping you learn new things, but they are not the ones ultimately accountable for your professional relevance. You are! Considering the abundance of inexpensive resources available these days (many even free) there is no excuse not to get on board the DIY bandwagon and teach yourself what you need to get to where you want to go.

Over the past few years most of the new things I’ve learned have come from my own efforts. Curiosity led to exploration. Exploration led to experimentation. Experimentation led to understanding. I’ve learned all sorts of things from books, You Tube, Google, playing around and getting nosy with friends & acquaintances. I consider myself to be a decent blogger, Twitter/LinkedIn user, turkey chef, parent, PowerPoint presenter, Angry Bird master, etc…all self-taught.

I’m not special. I know lots of people who can  make the same claim. My concern is for those who can’t…those who are in the habit of waiting for others to prompt them to learn something and then see to their eventual education. It matters for a couple of reasons. For one, if you’re not putting the responsibility to learn new things squarely on your shoulders, who else is there who cares enough about your success to own the process? Second, how do you convince employers you can take initiative on their behalf when you’ve failed to do so on your own? Third, when those in the habit of trying to teach themselves new things are on the receiving end of excuses from those waiting for others to lead the way, the impression isn’t great.

Are there things in this world we can’t teach ourselves? Sure. But much of what I see holding people back doesn’t fit in that category.

Need to learn software? Buy a Lynda.com training subscription for $35 for a month and train from home, go to your local library to practice, install the software on your own computer and practice by trying to recreate your junk mail, etc.

Need to understand social media applications? Watch some You Tube videos, read articles on the applications, check out the appropriate “How to (blank) for Dummies” book, use the “help” function on the actual website, attend free workshops in your community and ask friends known to be users.

Need to figure out how to write grants? Google grant writing, attend an evening college class on the subject, volunteer for a non-profit willing to expose you to the process, print out existing grants to review content/format and network with those who write grants for recommendations.

The list goes on…

If you haven’t embraced the DIY movement, it’s going to leave you in the dust.

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It’s not that the individual having a question is dumb. It is more the individual’s choice to pose a question to me when, strategically, they could easily obtain the information by other means and use their time with me to discuss more valuable content.

Many job seekers take the time to make sure the questions they ask in interviews are meaningful. Most now know asking about things they could have researched themselves, like asking what the company does, is taboo. The trouble often lies in the conversations people have outside of the interview room. The same courtesy isn’t afforded. These could be conversations with networking sources, family members, friends, co-workers, supervisors, mentors, professors…the list goes on.

We’ve become a culture of immediate gratification. I suspect that’s part of the reason many have become sloppy detectives. When a question pops in our head, we blurt it out without first asking ourselves if the information is something we could get on our own, or considering what we might miss out on discussing with the individual because we’ve used their time to drill them on basic stuff.

I’ll tell you a secret, it drives most people nuts when they can’t cover more meaningful things, things that need to be addressed, because others are laying the responsibility to help them get up to speed on the basics on their shoulders.

It has become the norm to expect those who are more knowledgeable to come down to the speed or level of those less knowledgeable. That’s a huge tactical error. All learn more from others when the knowledgeable person is able to talk about big picture concepts and leave it to those attempting to learn something to research the minutia. Consider the following. No one in his right mind would spend time with Steve Jobs asking him to explain what a gigabyte is or to share the new color options for the iPhone. These are the kinds of questions Google is waiting to help people with. Use it!

My challenge to everyone is to start taking notes of questions you have as they come, no matter who you are talking with. Doesn’t matter if it’s a physical note or mental note. The second thing you need to do is take stock of those you are speaking with when questions pop up. Pretend, although it’s not really pretending, you have a limited supply of information you could possibly get from each person. Weigh the questions you have and consider if posing them to that person, at that time, is really the best use of the situation. All involved will thank you for doing so!

Let me close this message by assuring those I’m working with that I love questions. I really and truly do. I would gladly answer questions all day long. Like everyone else, my time is limited. I feel I have so much to share, so much to offer, if you let me. The goal is to get you working a.s.a.p. That means you need your A game in terms of making the best use of every interaction you have with people. If you’ve got bad habits in terms of firing basic questions at me, you’re likely doing the same with others. It significantly limits what you have the potential to learn and slows down progress. Don’t squander time spent with others. Don’t treat any contact like your own personal Google search engine.

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So here goes…

1. They have magnetism. They have a positive outlook and demeanor that makes them approachable and pleasant to be around. Logic dictates an individual is more likely to land a job if the prospective employer actually enjoys the thought of being in his company 40+ hours per week for the foreseeable future. Seriously, who wants to be in the trenches with others who are negative, boring, pest like and more focused on problems than solutions? “Not I,” said the spider to the fly.
2. They network. They reach out to others consistently and effectively in search of opportunity. When potential employment options present themselves, they reach out to their network again seeking additional insight and connections that might increase the odds of a successful outcome. Firing off a resume in response to an internet ad without making some well placed phone calls first is unheard of.
3. They are busy. Activity in a job search is a must. Those with more balls in the air at any given time end up with more options. The lottery people like to say, “you can’t win if you don’t play.” Well, the same can be said for a job search. Those who don’t play the game and make sure they are networking regularly and applying to multiple positions relevant to their background per week aren’t going to hit the jackpot.
4. They have a clear understanding of what they are willing and able to do. It’s okay to be little and not know what you want to be when you grow up. If you’re a displaced worker who needs to land a job, like yesterday, not having a clear idea of what jobs you are chasing is unacceptable. You can’t aim at and hit a target that isn’t defined. Not to mention, job seekers who aren’t sure what to do next often end up leaving prospective employers not sure what to do with them.
5. They move past rejection quickly. Yes, getting a no thank you letter from a company you really want to work for is the pits. That said, dwelling on the hurt does no good. Too often job seekers dedicate much more time to trying to win over or get a response out of those who aren’t interested than focusing on finding individuals receptive to engaging with them. Maintaining forward momentum and keeping the focus on connecting with those who truly have an interest in what they offer increases the odds of winning dramatically.

So, there are the five things I feel many who have had successful searches have in common. If you’ve been looking for some time and aren’t having much luck, ask yourself how you’re doing in all of these areas. I can’t say one is more important than another. All matter. Get these points down so you can increase your odds of being the next person with an offer in hand.

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Most humans have an inclination towards self-preservation. Because of this we shy away from things that prove to be painful. Pain is usually bad. It usually means we’re doing something wrong. Not always though and it’s important to make the distinction.

Let me take a moment to talk about me…surprise, surprise. Right now I’m in the beginnings of a chiropractic treatment. After years of bad habits, my neck is an absolute mess. It’s not aligned correctly and causing me problems. Dumb me, I thought the solution to my problem was going to be a simple adjustment and voila, better. Turns out that’s not how it works. My posture has been bad for a while now and is rebelling against lining up the right way. My muscles hurt. My neck hurts. To top if off, my body keeps wanting to revert back to the bad form it’s become used to, so I have to keep going back for more treatments. I also have to do special exercises, change the way I use the computer, adjust my car seat differently, try to sleep more on my back, etc. Eventually I will win the posture game, but there is no doubt I’ll have to hurt on occasion to pull of the victory. There is no way to get to the desired outcome without pain.

When mentioned this to my husband, he said it’s the same thing as having braces. The initial stages of moving your teeth hurts at times, but the end result makes the pain worthwhile. Stopping because it hurt wouldn’t solve a thing.

My point is, don’t avoid your job search because it wounds you at times. Breaking bad habits, inviting rejection, taking new risks, acknowledging faults and exposing your situation all can come with pain. The important part is making sure all of that hurt isn’t in vain. Press through it and see you end up in a better place for doing so.

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I have good news for those who can identify with the above. If you know what you don’t want, you know more about what you do want than you are taking the time to consider. Change the way you talk and you’ll see what I mean.

“I don’t want to work in a non-profit,” becomes, “I want to work in a for-profit setting.”

“I don’t want a long commute,” becomes, “I want to work within 20 miles of Lansing.”

“I don’t want to work for less than $10 per hour,” becomes, “I want to work for $10 per hour or better.”

“I don’t want to be holed up in an office all day,” becomes, “I want to work in a setting where my time confined to an office is minimal.”

I’ve blogged about this before when discussing how to sound less negative when sharing your job search efforts with others. I’m restating the point today because a discussion over coffee reminded me how the same poor word choices end up leaving job seekers feeling boxed in and without options. Flipping the thought to a more open and positive direction keeps your focus where it should be, on where you wish to end up versus what you hope to avoid.

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If you follow me on Twitter (@RecruiterUncens) you probably noticed I got a bit prickly over the political spin tied to the release of the latest figures. Democrats and Republicans alike just love to use the plight of the unemployed to shred the other side and push for action on agendas they deem important. It drives me bonkers because we have a serious problem here and those with the ability to actually do something about it are too caught up in political maneuvering for election advantages to focus on what counts. I’ve honestly lost the ability to sort out fact from fiction any more. Those of you who think you can, kudos. All I know to do at this point is keep my nose down and focus on the overall effort with as much objectivity as possible.

Back to the numbers. The increase in unemployment numbers didn’t surprise me this time around and shouldn’t have surprised anyone else, media and political figures included. Yes, there are things that Obama, Democrats & Republicans have done or failed to do in the past that are making things worse, but in the present sense, we still should have seen this coming. Several things are happening right now that have me preparing for a bumpy next couple of months. I don’t say that to freak people out. Freaking out isn’t productive. I personally think we’ll all be better off if we can approach the situation rationally and not let all of the drama in Washington DC distract us from a clear strategy. Politicians are trying to win future elections. We, on the other hand, are trying to win good outcomes for ourselves.

So, what’s happening. First, most have followed the substantial spending cuts on the federal, state and local level. No matter what side you’re on in terms of supporting the cuts, logic dictates jobs were going to be lost as a result of them. More will follow as budgets are finalized and sorted out. Hopefully the newly displaced can be absorbed by the private sector in short order. Planning on how to make that happen, especially when many of those who lost their jobs are connected to professions/organizations that were battered in the media in order to gain support for the cuts, is going to be the challenge. Just like the chronic unemployed have to fight all of the negative assumptions automatically made about their abilities, motivation and such, these individuals are in the same boat for different reasons.

Another reason unemployment numbers are going to go up is our plan to scale back on military operations. Again, it doesn’t matter if you agree with the need for this to happen or not. Eventually it will, perhaps sooner than later, and we need to be realistic about what it means to the economy so we can prepare and not be shocked. Military operations help economies. WWII really helped get us out of the Great Depression. As military members and contractors return from overseas, those whose services won’t be needed anymore will join the unemployed for a time. Industries that have been supporting our military initiatives will likely cut back operations and personnel, as well. It makes sense this will happen. Let’s prepare and not allow ourselves to get caught up in the blame games.

The current gridlock in Washington DC over budgets is also a factor. The private sector is stuck in a holding pattern. Hiring is about meeting future needs, not past needs. If businesses can’t predict what the future holds because Congress and the President can’t make efficient and longer lasting decisions, they pull back. Again, it doesn’t matter what your political preferences are, we should all be able to see how these 11th hour negotiations, waffling on regulations/tax codes and short fix budget plans cripple business decisions in our country. Both sides are contributing to this problem and should be condemned for doing so. I’m starting to believe any decision Washington DC can make at this point is better than no decision at all. How sad is that?

Of course, there are many more factors contributing to the job picture in our country than the three listed above. I’m sharing these though because I felt the need to insert some objectivity into a situation where many seemed to be acting shocked, panicked and negative. I personally think it would have been better for our country if our politicians and media personalities, who are smart enough to  know this was going to happen, too, had prepared the public for this outcome and acknowledged this was going to be something we’d have to find workable solutions for. Panic and additional efforts to wedge Americans apart over politics solves nothing.

So, if you’ve made it this far, remember to keep focus and perspective in your search. These numbers don’t mean things are hopeless. I’m still seeing improved job flow. Many job seekers I work with have more positions to apply for these days and are landing more interviews and offers. Salaries are improving. I’m sure there are reports out there that will contradict this, but I don’t care about them. They don’t change the reality of what I am experiencing. In a two week period, 11 people from my networking groups landed jobs. That’s the highest number in that amount of time yet. Some had been looking for years. Several more are nearing offers. These latest numbers don’t change that. Know where we are as a country, but also do what you can to filter out the drama and still see the bright spots in your own search.

Final note, this is not intended to be a political blog. I won’t tolerate any political sparring in the comments for this post. Any comments that take a political side won’t be posted. It’s too distracting to the actual message.

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