Job Search 2010 Get Started On the Right Foot – Part 1
As the new year starts, many will be either restarting or launching a job search. One thing missing from so many in the job hunting mode is accountability.
We see this all the time in our job searching coaching practice. Most candidates go it alone. If 2009 was a go it alone year for you, I might suggest that 2010 be get a partner year. Not just any partner but an accountability partner.
What exactly is and is not an accountability partner:
1. It is not your spouse or close friend. I know they hold you accountable in many ways, but this is not the right person. They are too close to the situation and not objective.
2. They will support you. Not financially. Rather emotionally, spiritually and intellectually. You trust them and they will listen to you.
3. They don’t feel your pain. They understand your pain. There is a big difference. Understanding, rather than feeling, keeps them objective and they don’t become emotionally attached.
4. They understand your history. They must understand your background, strengths, accomplishments, what you’ve done to date in your search, and also what not so obvious talents and strengths you have that might be transferable. They also understand the flip side – where you don’t excel and even your weaknesses.
5. They are not your therapist. If you need a therapist, get one, but that is not the purpose of an accountability partner.
6. They are open, honest and tough. An accountability partner must be capable of telling you exactly what you are and are not doing. Many people can’t be this direct. Sometimes it is necessary to tell someone that they aren’t doing enough or that they need to kick it up. This can be even more difficult for candidates that have been looking for some time.
7. They need to be knowledgeable. They should be someone that understands a job search process or methodology. If they aren’t very knowledgeable in helping those in a job search, then helping you might be difficult. This is particularly true if your job search is stalled. You don’t hire a law clerk when you need a lawyer and amateur golf instructors make amateur golfers.
8. Experience. A little different than knowledgeable, in that this is hands-on experience helping people in a job search. We all thought we knew everything when we graduated from college, but once we had some experience most discovered something different. This is the knowledge versus experience I’m referring to.
There are others, but when you find these in an accountability partner, you are starting 2010 on the right foot.
Some other things you can do to start on the right foot:
Join our Linkedin Job Search Networking Group. It is one of the biggest and most active groups dealing with job search issues on Linkedin. CLICK HERE to join.
Download our FREE Job Search Self-Assessment Scorecard. Take the evaluation and discover if your search is all it can be. CLICK HERE to download.
Visit our audio library. No library card required – all audio files can be downloaded for free. Extensive amount of files on all of the different topics surrounding a job search. CLICK HERE to review the library.
Part 2 will be about what to expect from an accountability partner.
If this was helpful, then please help others by forwarding on to your network, posting on your Facebook page, Tweet with the link, post to your Linkedin groups or status update. Let’s all do everything we can to help those looking for employment.
Brad Remillard
Interviewing, Job Search Mistakes, Job Search Preparation | bradremillard December 9, 2009
About the Author
Brad Remillard is a founding Partner of IMPACT Hiring Solutions, co-author of "You're NOT the Person I Hired", and "This is NOT the Position I Accepted". Brad is an award-winning international speaker, retained executive recruiter, and expert on hiring and retaining top talent, and executive job search.
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By Luisa, December 14, 2009 @ 11:42 am
Joining a Job Search Network is a way of sharing and having that partner that you need. I am a member of “Experience Unlimited – Corona” and it is a great team and partners, we help each other. Thanks for coming up with this article, it is very true. Luisa