As the year wraps up, it’s nice to reflect on some of the successes of 2010. At Jobfully, our biggest accomplishment was launching www.Jobfully.com, a web based solution for job seekers that offers a complete program of coaching, instruction and practice on how to job search, a suite of productivity tools and a supportive community. Coupled with our blog, Jobfully is at the forefront helping people lead successful job searches and get back to work. So today we celebrate a few success stories.
Baseball’s Lessons for Job Seekers
Baseball’s World Series is an exciting celebration of the sport known as America’s Pastime. It marks the end of a long, hard-fought season played out on fields and in stadiums across the country. Believe it or not, baseball holds a number of great lessons for job seekers:
Job Statistics – Focus on the Positives
We’ve all heard how tough the job market is, but the truth is that people are still getting hired. Here are some numbers that might surprise and inspire you:
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 4.3 million U.S. workers were hired in June 2010, including seasonal workers, part-timers, temps and contract workers.
- The number of job openings at the end of June was 2.9 million – an increase of 26% since the most recent series trough of 2.3 million in July 2009.
- Although job growth is down, it does not mean there are no jobs available. 4.3 million hires are still 4.3 million hires.
Spring Cleaning Your Job Search
Spring is a time for cleaning out cupboards, flinging open windows, and freshening up. With new life all around, a Wall Street Journal article this week reports renewed optimism among job seekers, along with reports of more interest and interviews with employers.
Just as you spring clean your home, maybe it’s time to spring clean your job search and hit the market fresh and ready for success. Five quick ideas to capitalize on improved hiring conditions this spring:
Relationship Building: 101
Let’s say that you’ve already identified at least one person, maybe a few people, who do the kind of work you’d like to do. In other words, you have a role model. In order to make best use of this relationship, there are a few things to understand about choosing to associate with like-minded people and how these relationships can help.
How Are You Feeding Your Tenacity?
How are you feeding your tenacity?Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity.
~ Louis Pasteur
Do you want to raise the odds that you will succeed in turning your dreams into reality? Give the heave-ho to the notion that it’s all going to happen with the flip of a switch (because in all likelihood, it won’t). Replace it with a commitment to tenacity.
Increase Your Potential With Trips Off The Beaten Track
“Leave the beaten track occasionally and dive into the woods. You will be certain to find something you have never seen before.”
~ Alexander Graham Bell
Habit and routine play a positive role in life, to be sure. They help us move forward without wasting energy on mundane recurring choices. But too often they take on a life of their own.
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Stay Engaged, Find a Role Model
Over time, as you do the work of “working on yourself”, the fluctuations in energy and concentration wear on even the hardiest among us. At heart we know we have to put ourselves in front of people, lots of people, repeatedly. You can benefit from balancing periods of social engagement with times of more relaxed involvement that treat your mind to new ideas, replenish your energy, and refresh your world view.
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Get Unstuck With a 7-day Goal
Do you ever find yourself feeling stuck? You know you need to move forward, but somehow you’ve managed to sink your wheels into the mud and all momentum is lost. It can be a frustrating, draining experience.
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Got a Missing Ingredient? Check Your Assumptions at the Door: A Thought Experiment for Job Seekers
Imagine the following scenario: A hiring manager is conferring with his staff regarding two finalists for a position. He asks them which one would be the better fit for their department. One by one they give their opinions. Then the hiring manager says: “It’s clear that either one of them could do a good job. Both of them could do the job in their sleep, but we need someone who can represent the department in a favorable light, someone who is calm and diplomatic.”
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