Effective Job Search tips...inspired by a five year old!

Allow me to set the scene for you.

One Friday morning while travelling by train in the rush hour on my way to deliver a job search workshop in south London, a little boy, accompanied by his mother, arrived in my carriage. Instructed to take the only available seat at the aisle he exclaimed, “I wanted to sit at the window!”

I remember thinking, ‘well, we can’t always have what we want’, then what happened next caught my attention (and that of everyone else in the carriage)...

This five year old boy made eye contact with one lady who was occupying his ‘chosen’ window seat and asked boldly, “Could we swap?” His mother winced in embarrassment, I and my fellow passengers smiled in unison and the lady in question willingly accommodated his request. His delight as he admired the views from the window was infectious!

In that moment I recognised three of the best principles for successful job search or career change:

• Be clear about what you want – start by imagining what your ideal working situation would look like, identify what you enjoy doing, what brings out the best in you and where you find meaning
• Be bold - connect with new people and re-establish old connections, be ready to talk about yourself and your goals positively and confidently and show interest in others
• Expect good things - develop a curious approach, be intentional and believe that while it may be true that we can’t have all of what we want, it is equally true that there is more that is possible than you may currently believe, and the way to discover it is to allow your imagination to push you past your fears and take positive ACTION.

If you feel ready to take action, but don't know how, why not call us for a free 15 minute telephone consultation or send us a message via our Contact page? We'll be happy to help you think through your next steps.