Blog Post: Finding Your Next Perfect Career

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posted Wednesday, September 9, 2009 6:51 PM

by Elissa Heimburger, Owl-HR

Being unemployed can be an amazing opportunity to start fresh doing something that you really love. You have the advantage over folks stuck in a job that they don’t enjoy. Security of a regular paycheck is holding them back, but no employer has that hold over you. OK, so unemployment is not all roses. The uncertainty is frustrating and sometimes a little scary. What can you do to find the courage to turn your situation into your next big break? Here are a few ideas you might not have tried yet:

Prepare yourself for battle – Maybe your previous full time job gave you an excuse not to find time to get some exercise and maintain healthy eating habits. In career search mode though, you are going to need every competitive advantage at your disposal. These days, competition is fierce. Start developing healthy habits so you can look and feel your best in that next job interview. Aerobic exercise is also a good way to relieve stress related to unemployment, so get out there!

Master your confidence – A layoff is a blow to our egos and its human nature to get down on ourselves. Work on your confidence by celebrating the small victories like succeeding at a small task or when someone compliments you. By taking concrete actions that improve your competence, you will improve your confidence. Your confidence will be apparent to potential employers and could be just the thing that sets you apart from other candidates.

Get help from others – It’s always beneficial to have someone else review your resume. Arapahoe/Douglas Works! is an excellent resource (www.adworks.org). The agency offers free workshops for job seekers. There is also a personalized resume review service available every Wednesday morning starting at 9:00 a.m.

Seek out your strengths – According to Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton, in their book “Now, Discover Your Strengths”, only 20% of employees in large organizations feel that they are using their strengths every day. That means that 80% of workers are bored and unengaged most of the time. The authors explain that we need to change our way of thinking from “fixing” our weaknesses to “capitalizing on our strengths and manage around our weaknesses”. I highly recommend going through the exercises in the book to help you find your particular strengths. You can then apply this new knowledge about yourself in your job search to increase your likelihood of finding an opportunity that will keep you engaged and happy. For more information, visit www.marcusbuckingham.com.

Happy career discovery!

Tags job seekers, unemployment, strengths, confidence, exercise, resume review, weaknesses

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About This Author

Elissa Heimburger

MBA, PHR, GPHR, Owl-HR

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My passion is helping businesses optimize their people process! I am a certified HR pro with 15 years of experience. I love coaching employers to engage their staff while leveraging their skills to move companies closer to their goals.

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