What is finding the right job worth to you? 

What is finding the right job worth to you? What will it do for your life? How will your life change? Let’s take a minute and go through a few reasons not to procrastinate in your job search.

The most obvious is a monetary gain. How much are you missing out on daily basis, by not working? If you make $75,000 annually you are losing $300 every day you remain unemployed. Can you afford to stay unemployed for long? So I ask again, what will the right job do for your life? Well, it will pay bills, grow savings, provide security, and funds for fun and giving to others. But more importantly it will give you control of your life.

Decisions can be made by what is good for you and your family, and not just by choosing the least expensive route or becoming heavily in-debt. Having a reliable, well-fitting job also provides fulfillment and allows you opportunity for career advancement. When you grow and achieve, the feeling of accomplishment is very fulfilling.

Having the right job also improves the quality of your family life because you are feeling less stress in your professional life. When one part of your life is out of balance it affects all parts of your life; as hard as we try, it is difficult to separate. So, if you have a fulfilling job it will help to provide financial security and improve your quality of life – so what is stopping you?

I work with clients daily that are so distraught over losing their job or so overwhelmed at the thought of finding another job that they retreat, hide their head in the sand, and do nothing. Along with wasting time, money, and opportunity it is also causes depression for some.

Things seem to spiral when depression hits and what was once a job lost is now a life out of control. Don’t let this happen to you!

If you want the ideal job again, fight for it! Focus on the outcome; keep your eye on the prize to keep you motivated. If it seems like too much to handle, break it down into little steps and take one step at a time. In my business I offer many steps to help job seekers. For those that need most or all of my services, I make a point not to overwhelm them with future steps and just work on the step at hand. This way they will be more productive, have a better attitude which usually leads to faster results. 

Work with someone on your job search, don’t go it alone. That is why networking is so productive. Find people to work with you through the different stages of your job transition. Who can you turn to for assistance with the different steps of your career transition? It doesn’t have to be just one person through the whole process, although that can help to keep the momentum fueled. Career coaches often take on this role and work to keep a steady pace and accountability for the job seeker.

It can be a spouse, friend, relative, someone you work with or someone you meet through networking. Finding a partner, someone else who is also looking for a job is another great choice; you’ll keep each other motivated and accountable along the journey. Develop a plan, set goals, determine how much time you’ll spend weekly, and daily on your job search and be specific in when and how you’ll work at it.  Take small steps but keep moving! You’ll need to prepare, or have prepared, your career documents; start a strategic networking campaign, research the industry, potential companies and even potential managers or influential contacts; all of which will help in determining where and how to proceed with the job search.  

You must sell your skills and value to employers and make them realize your potential and fit. A well written resumes and quality networking can put you in front of the right people at the right time. Your earlier research will come in handy as you prepare for interviewing. Now you know where you want to work, find out even more about the companies to use during the interview such as current plans, problems, and programs and future plans, find ways to tie your value into the success of those plans. 

Practice answering the typical tough questions because they will definitely be asked during interviews. Work with your partner answering questions, finding out what works, where your strengths are and weaknesses and how to turn the weaknesses into success stories. Prepare several success stories that can be relayed during an interview and focus on key issues, important to that company. Finally, remember to determine your value and worth as an employee before salary the negotiations begin.

Compare the position within the industry, local area and within the company. Knowledge is power and the more you know the better leverage you’ll have when it comes time to negotiate on salary and benefits. And remember, they’re always willing to negotiate. By staying focused on what lies ahead you’ll progress through your job transition quicker and with better results – stay motivated!