Knowing and Doing are Two Different Things

Knowing and Doing are Two Different Things To know something  and to do something are not the same. Too often, I see job seekers take shortcuts or avoid doing things they dont want to do. Job search is hard work. You know what you need to do to find a new job. But sometimes you dont do everything you need to do. Job search requires doing things you dont want to do or dont know how to do. Sometimes, but not often, you get lazy or try to take shortcuts. And when you dont do the right things it hurts your job search in the long run. I truly believe that 90% of job search is having the right mental outlook. Sometimes you have to trick yourself into doing things. Sometimes you just need a reminder. So I put together this list of things most job seekers know (or should know) but dont put into action (unless really pushed). Know and Do These Things Conduct a self-assessment of skills, talents, and abilities. Produce  a resume that contains action/result statements. Customize every resume for every job you apply to. Write a well-researched cover letter. Find a job posting then network with company insiders before you apply. Develop a list of target companies. Create and USE a marketing plan. Network 60+% of the time. Build a meaningful LinkedIn profile. Learn how to use LinkedIn. Constantly maintain your network. Follow up on networking leads quickly. Dont ask for a job while networking. Practice  interviewing. Research the company and people youll be interviewing with. Develop a Plan B Cut and manage expenses. Learn about new occupations and industries. Be positive. Dont appear desperate. Sure, you know all thisbut do you ALWAYS follow these guidelines? Embrace them, master them.   You will be more successful than most job seekers if you actually DO these things. Does it seem overwhelming? Prioritize the actions that will have the biggest bang for the buck.   (Hint, anything to do with networking will reap the greatest rewards.) Remember, your search for a new job will take longer than you want. Pace yourself, its a marathon, not a sprint. And please, find someone to hold you accountable to do the right things for your job search. Knowing and Doing are Two Different Things We all get stuck in ruts. Either personal or professional. Sometimes we can get out of this rut, other times, it isnt easy to do on our own. Fortunately, we have people in our lives that can help! The key is to ask for help! This is very difficult to do. As I write each word of this post I am reminded of the title, knowing and doing are two different things. Yes, we know we should ask for help, but we dont. I need to pay special tribute to the special people who understand how to offer help, the help that I cant figure out how to ask for. These are the unsung heroes helping me move forward. They listen and push. They ask the tough questions that send me back to the drawing board. Whether you want to read about them is up to you, but what I want you to know is that you need to find these types of people for yourself and you also need to pay tribute to them. Mike Lally was the first believer in Career Sherpa, well, maybe not the very first, but the one who pushed me into blogging. He also claims he is the one who came up with the name Career Sherpa (funny how I cant quite recall that small detail). The point is, Mike has given me information, encouragement and the confidence to move forward. Yes, he kicks me in the pants sometimes too. Mike is one of the rare finds who gives unconditionally. Mike is an Operational Leader. He has an uncanny knack of being able to instantaneously asses and redirect derailed projects. Mike maintains a blog and is worth checking out! Graeme Roberts is an intellectual creative genius. No, really, he is! Yet he can also be incredibly effective analyzing and implementing process or strategy. He is a guru for growing business. Hes technically savvy, yet doesnt own a smart phone. He is generous and a serial entrepreneur! He is growing his own business, GrowMotor with innovative ideas! In my meeting with these two last night, they pushed and pried, trying to help me implement a long overdue positioning statement and to determine my niche, brand, value proposition- you know, the stuff I try to help my clients with. We are sometimes so close to the subject (ourselves) that we need help from a more or less objective third party. Thank you to the many friends who are helping me along this journey! Miriam Salpeter, Meg Guiseppi, Skeeter Harris, Greg Taylor, Rita Carey, Sandra Turner, Dean LoBrutto, Rosa Smith-Montanaro, Jenn Sertl, and so many others!