How to find a job in 30 days: Part II

Which steps did I follow, to find a new job?

1.       Once I fixed my attitude, I spent time cherishing my self-worth, every day. This effectively combated the downward pull of negative thinking about myself, and others.

2.       I actively looked for my strengths through considering past experiences, and asked my family and friends to let me know the things about me that they appreciated. In some cases, my family or friends actually told me that they admired me for my resilience and resolve! What a difference to the spirit a few kind words can make. :-) Now that I wasn’t just being hopeful about my areas of strength, and I was actively considering my unique offering as a person and as an employee, I was confidently able to consider which types of organizations would be joyful and appropriate work environments, as well as which positions might be interesting and rewarding!

3.       Wherever present, I accepted learning opportunities with optimism, enthusiasm, and humility. I asked for professional feedback regarding my resume, asked my friends and colleagues about any possible job leads as well as stories of their career-searching successes, and followed up with each potential lead. I asked for meetings with professionals whom I admired and from whom I could learn, then I took their advice. I thanked everyone for helping me.

4.       I avoided being picky! When asked for job interviews, I took them! Even if I wasn’t 100% sure that each company would be the right fit. I wanted to learn about prospective employers, learn about myself, and to learn how to promote myself more effectively. I also wanted to meet as many people as possible, and foster healthy relationships in the community. My goal was to find a new job, not necessarily find “the” career job of my dreams. I wasn’t going to limit my options, before I knew what all of my options were.

5.       I avoided badmouthing the company that was laying me off. A negative attitude isn’t only going to keep someone from growing as a person and a professional; it’s going to limit one’s opportunities. Complaint is a major deterrent to starting healthy new professional relationships, and prospective employers will get the impression that a complainer is going to bring negative energy to their team.

6.       I stayed positive! As I wrote more cover letters and had more job interviews, I was able to narrow my career search to a more narrow focus. Instead of kicking myself for wasting my time during the first part of my search, I took the opportunity to be glad that I was finding a rhythm and learning more about myself.

7.       I followed my instincts. At a certain point in my job search I realized that completing online applications had not yielded successful results or callbacks. As a result, I focused my efforts on making contacts with interesting companies, and strengthening my network. When my first job offer came in, I was seriously torn about whether to take the job, because I thought at least 2 other jobs with better pay would pan out. Remembering that a bird in the hand was worth two in the bush, I accepted that job offer, and I didn’t get any later job offers! Knowing that I was starting a position with an organization whose purpose I fully support made me excited about my new beginning-even if it was different from other jobs I’ve held in the past.

Part III will delve into specifics of how I found my current position. Stay tuned!