Sometimes as individuals we are very fortunate. We follow a course of action on a process, everything connects the way we would want it to, and we accomplish what we set out to do. However, the majority of the time it is likely we don’t reach our final destination on our first attempt. It may take several attempts. Sometimes along the way we get discouraged. We begin to doubt our abilities. A feeling that everything is stacked against us emerges. Feelings of whether it makes sense to go on take over our being.
I am sure many of you have heard the saying “If at first you don’t succeed, try try again.” However, the saying does not say, you must use the same approach as before. It also does not say that if you took the following steps in interacting with one person or another company, the same approach should be used with another. In working with the many that I do that are in job search, I find those that proceed through the process most effectively are those who are willing to look at every opportunity and modify their strategy accordingly. There are several reasons for this.
Fundamentally, those who are willing to change strategy as needed have accepted the fact that their search is a process. Those that measure their success by the end result, finding a job, have no other benchmark. The job searcher who only sees success as the landing of a job, any job, builds no interim benchmarks for themselves. Even if they achieve significant accomplishments, (a resume’ that is well received and is getting them interviews, networking contacts that are getting them to speak to others in the companies they are targeting or the development of a marketing plan which they can share with others to communicate that which they seek), they don’t take credit for them. Since the end result can take months to achieve, they’re living through a lot of disappointment along the way.
Another thing that I find about those who understand a process involves a strategy, are those who understand the importance of having several targets. They realize their skills are transferable. There are multiple places at which they can be displayed. There is enthusiasm about exploring each of the targets they have identified to see in which they are being most accepted, or which may be the ones at the moment with the most opportunities to pursue.
Realization that a longer term goal is a process and involves others in your achieving it also requires flexibility on one’s part. For example, you may have the greatest resume’ in the world. It may be structured with all the latest recommendations, look eye appealing, etc. However, if it is not designed with a message or the points of interest to your reader, ultimately it may not help you achieve the connection you desire. Those who look at their search as a process, have a template for what they want to present, but are diligent about rearranging content to meet what they expect their intended targets would want to see.
Therefore, if you are being versed in the best techniques to use in accomplishing what it is you desire, realize that just implementing the approaches themselves is not enough. In particular, if there are others involved in your process, how you choose to execute those techniques is something which you constantly want to keep in your control. A process is a journey. A journey often has many steps. Not only trying again along the journey, but considering a different path, pace or strategy both keeps you energized and is more likely to move your closer to your final destination.
