Want results? Do the opposite.

by Judi Perkins

Job hunters can be very passive: posting resumes on job boards
instead of frequently searching them; letting inept recruiters
contact them instead of finding recruiters who make things
happen; being too optimistic about a job prospect, saying "I
might as well check it out - why not?" and then saying "I knew
that. Why did I bother?"; wondering why so much time passes with
so few results.

Almost every candidate could be twice as pro-active as they
currently are. Instead of waiting for openings to find you, you
need to be looking for openings.

Finding your perfect job is about choice: the choice to apply -
or not, the choice to accept an interview - or not, the choice
to return for a second when you're invited to do so - or not.
It's not as much about accepting an offer or not, because by the
time you get to that stage - if you've been doing your homework
- you should know if you want to be that far along in the game.
If you don't, you should have cut out earlier.

Finding your perfect job is not about putting more eggs in your
basket as your search goes on, it's about taking them out of
your basket.

It's why I speak so often on the importance of knowing who you
are and what you want. You must know what motivates you, what
factors you're firm on and on which ones you'll compromise. For
instance, do you function better in a large environment or
small? Corporate or non-profit? Team focused or self motivated?
You do this by examining your previous jobs - what you liked and
didn't like, what worked or didn't, and why.

You can't go looking if you don't know what you're looking for.
Not only that, but you'll wait for it to come to you. You may be
saying, "Wait! I contacted some recruiters!" and "I did some
networking!" or "I've answered ads!" But that's not enough - and
while it's more difficult when you're employed, when you're
unemployed you have nothing but time. And finding a job can be a
full-time job.

Once you know what you're looking for, start placing eggs in
your basket. Comb the job boards, research search firms that
specialize in your discipline, contact and choose some
recruiters, network with your co-workers from previous jobs,
contact employers at companies in the area that seem attractive
- introduce yourself, ask for advice, see if they have
suggestions or connections.

You find opportunities that you wouldn't have known about if
you'd waited for everything to find you. You become energized
instead of discouraged. And as you learn more about the
personality of each company, the management style of each hiring
authority, the description of each job, you make the decision to
leave the egg in the basket or take it out. But the point is, if
it doesn't fit, you're making the choice to take it out, rather
than the company making the choice for you.

Obviously if something comes along that appears to fit your
profile, follow it up. But my point is having a lot of
opportunities from which to choose isn't a groovy thing if few
of them are viable. So don't wait around to see which of those
iffy things come through. Chuck them over your shoulder and get
after finding what you want!

Change is an anathema to most people. It's scary and
uncomfortable. When you're job searching passively - especially
if you think you're pro-active - you don't have to think about
what if you make the wrong decision, what if you don't like the
new job, what if you become unhappy at your new company, and
"Oh, I miss that job I had five years ago! I wish I hadn't quit!
"

But in fact, that's a fallacy. The only thing being passive
about job hunting does is ensure that your fears become
actualized. To avoid those fears coming true, you need to get
out there and make it happen. The process may be scary, but the
result is a relief. And the result is with you far longer than
the process is.

So instead of being passive, be pro-active and aggressive.
Instead of throwing eggs into your basket, know what you want so
that you can take them out. Instead of becoming inert because
you're afraid of the potential results, eliminate them by
thinking of ways to discover hidden opportunities so that you
get the result you want.

The person controlling the process is you. The person
responsible for finding your perfect job is you. The person who
must live with the outcome is you. So it's your choice: do you
want to do it the passive way? Or do you want to do the
opposite?