The Professionals Job Search Creed 1 of 10

The Professionals Job Search Creed â€" 1 of 10 I came across this Creed in my weekly networking, where we were encouraged to actually read them outloud each morning at 7:55 am. There are 10 of these, and Ill keep them summarized as we go (see the very bottom of this post), but I want to discuss each one as opposed to just listing them here. First, Im not a read outloud kind of guy, so if you are snickering, look past that part and check out the content. Second, the idea of 7:55 am is that you are dressed and ready to go. Ive found that executive professionals (in the job search) are ready before that, and usually have at least one breakfast meeting to go to each week, but the point is, get out of bed and get ready to work! So here is the first of ten: 1. I will get a job coach (not my spouse) to hold me accountable for my job search efforts. I will encourange him or her to be honest and indicate that feedback is the greatest gift that I could receive. I will ask for at least weekly contact. Your job coach should not be your spouse! You want someone to hold your feet to the fire, and be accountable to. While this might sound like your spouse ?? the problem is two-fold (in my mind): [1] your spouse is too close to the situation. This is an extremely stressful time and you need someone that is able to have a perspective that is not burdened by the emotions of the moment (like, are we going to be able to pay the mortgage this month?). [2] perhaps your spouse doesnt understand the workforce (my wife hasnt worked outside of the home for over 10 years), or your particular profession, or is not up to par on current job search techniques. They might expect you to spend a lot of time in front of the computer applying to jobs on Monster, whereas a trained job coach would know that you should be spending the majority of your time elsewhere. Also, you need to get honest feedback. Jim Collins refers to this, for business leaders, as facing the brutal facts. If I had a job coach early on I may have been able to avoid the problems I had in my resume, my approach, interview issues, and feeling really good about applying to bunches of jobs online. Even though I felt good at the end of each day or week (less all the emotional stress of not having a job), I was on the wrong path, and a job coach would have been able to tell me that. Finally, you need at least weekly contact. This is not a how you doing e-mail, this is an accountability session. How is the plan, are you executing it well, what did you do last week, what do you have planned this week? Stuff like that. It should be candid, productive and building. You need to make sure the meetings happen! And dont lie to the coach it does nothing to help you or your relationship. Now, Im not a professional coach, never have been, and dont think I ever will be I imagine that some of the things here are different in a professional, paid relationship. But whether you find an old buddy, boss or neighbor, or you find a real job/career coach, you need to get someone that you can be accountable to. One last note. A job coach isnt necessarily a mentor and vice versa. I recommend both ?? Running List: I will get a job coach (not my spouse) to hold me accountable for my job search efforts. I will encourange him or her to be honest and indicate that feedback is the greatest gift that I could receive. I will ask for at least weekly contact (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) The Professionals Job Search Creed â€" 1 of 10 I came across this Creed in my weekly networking, where we were encouraged to actually read them outloud each morning at 7:55 am. There are 10 of these, and Ill keep them summarized as we go (see the very bottom of this post), but I want to discuss each one as opposed to just listing them here. First, Im not a read outloud kind of guy, so if you are snickering, look past that part and check out the content. Second, the idea of 7:55 am is that you are dressed and ready to go. Ive found that executive professionals (in the job search) are ready before that, and usually have at least one breakfast meeting to go to each week, but the point is, get out of bed and get ready to work! So here is the first of ten: 1. I will get a job coach (not my spouse) to hold me accountable for my job search efforts. I will encourange him or her to be honest and indicate that feedback is the greatest gift that I could receive. I will ask for at least weekly contact. Your job coach should not be your spouse! You want someone to hold your feet to the fire, and be accountable to. While this might sound like your spouse ?? the problem is two-fold (in my mind): [1] your spouse is too close to the situation. This is an extremely stressful time and you need someone that is able to have a perspective that is not burdened by the emotions of the moment (like, are we going to be able to pay the mortgage this month?). [2] perhaps your spouse doesnt understand the workforce (my wife hasnt worked outside of the home for over 10 years), or your particular profession, or is not up to par on current job search techniques. They might expect you to spend a lot of time in front of the computer applying to jobs on Monster, whereas a trained job coach would know that you should be spending the majority of your time elsewhere. Also, you need to get honest feedback. Jim Collins refers to this, for business leaders, as facing the brutal facts. If I had a job coach early on I may have been able to avoid the problems I had in my resume, my approach, interview issues, and feeling really good about applying to bunches of jobs online. Even though I felt good at the end of each day or week (less all the emotional stress of not having a job), I was on the wrong path, and a job coach would have been able to tell me that. Finally, you need at least weekly contact. This is not a how you doing e-mail, this is an accountability session. How is the plan, are you executing it well, what did you do last week, what do you have planned this week? Stuff like that. It should be candid, productive and building. You need to make sure the meetings happen! And dont lie to the coach it does nothing to help you or your relationship. Now, Im not a professional coach, never have been, and dont think I ever will be I imagine that some of the things here are different in a professional, paid relationship. But whether you find an old buddy, boss or neighbor, or you find a real job/career coach, you need to get someone that you can be accountable to. One last note. A job coach isnt necessarily a mentor and vice versa. I recommend both ?? Running List: I will get a job coach (not my spouse) to hold me accountable for my job search efforts. I will encourange him or her to be honest and indicate that feedback is the greatest gift that I could receive. I will ask for at least weekly contact (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) The Professionals Job Search Creed â€" 1 of 10 I came across this Creed in my weekly networking, where we were encouraged to actually read them outloud each morning at 7:55 am. There are 10 of these, and Ill keep them summarized as we go (see the very bottom of this post), but I want to discuss each one as opposed to just listing them here. First, Im not a read outloud kind of guy, so if you are snickering, look past that part and check out the content. Second, the idea of 7:55 am is that you are dressed and ready to go. Ive found that executive professionals (in the job search) are ready before that, and usually have at least one breakfast meeting to go to each week, but the point is, get out of bed and get ready to work! So here is the first of ten: 1. I will get a job coach (not my spouse) to hold me accountable for my job search efforts. I will encourange him or her to be honest and indicate that feedback is the greatest gift that I could receive. I will ask for at least weekly contact. Your job coach should not be your spouse! You want someone to hold your feet to the fire, and be accountable to. While this might sound like your spouse ?? the problem is two-fold (in my mind): [1] your spouse is too close to the situation. This is an extremely stressful time and you need someone that is able to have a perspective that is not burdened by the emotions of the moment (like, are we going to be able to pay the mortgage this month?). [2] perhaps your spouse doesnt understand the workforce (my wife hasnt worked outside of the home for over 10 years), or your particular profession, or is not up to par on current job search techniques. They might expect you to spend a lot of time in front of the computer applying to jobs on Monster, whereas a trained job coach would know that you should be spending the majority of your time elsewhere. Also, you need to get honest feedback. Jim Collins refers to this, for business leaders, as facing the brutal facts. If I had a job coach early on I may have been able to avoid the problems I had in my resume, my approach, interview issues, and feeling really good about applying to bunches of jobs online. Even though I felt good at the end of each day or week (less all the emotional stress of not having a job), I was on the wrong path, and a job coach would have been able to tell me that. Finally, you need at least weekly contact. This is not a how you doing e-mail, this is an accountability session. How is the plan, are you executing it well, what did you do last week, what do you have planned this week? Stuff like that. It should be candid, productive and building. You need to make sure the meetings happen! And dont lie to the coach it does nothing to help you or your relationship. Now, Im not a professional coach, never have been, and dont think I ever will be I imagine that some of the things here are different in a professional, paid relationship. But whether you find an old buddy, boss or neighbor, or you find a real job/career coach, you need to get someone that you can be accountable to. One last note. A job coach isnt necessarily a mentor and vice versa. I recommend both ?? Running List: I will get a job coach (not my spouse) to hold me accountable for my job search efforts. I will encourange him or her to be honest and indicate that feedback is the greatest gift that I could receive. I will ask for at least weekly contact (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) The Professionals Job Search Creed â€" 1 of 10 I came across this Creed in my weekly networking, where we were encouraged to actually read them outloud each morning at 7:55 am. There are 10 of these, and Ill keep them summarized as we go (see the very bottom of this post), but I want to discuss each one as opposed to just listing them here. First, Im not a read outloud kind of guy, so if you are snickering, look past that part and check out the content. Second, the idea of 7:55 am is that you are dressed and ready to go. Ive found that executive professionals (in the job search) are ready before that, and usually have at least one breakfast meeting to go to each week, but the point is, get out of bed and get ready to work! So here is the first of ten: 1. I will get a job coach (not my spouse) to hold me accountable for my job search efforts. I will encourange him or her to be honest and indicate that feedback is the greatest gift that I could receive. I will ask for at least weekly contact. Your job coach should not be your spouse! You want someone to hold your feet to the fire, and be accountable to. While this might sound like your spouse ?? the problem is two-fold (in my mind): [1] your spouse is too close to the situation. This is an extremely stressful time and you need someone that is able to have a perspective that is not burdened by the emotions of the moment (like, are we going to be able to pay the mortgage this month?). [2] perhaps your spouse doesnt understand the workforce (my wife hasnt worked outside of the home for over 10 years), or your particular profession, or is not up to par on current job search techniques. They might expect you to spend a lot of time in front of the computer applying to jobs on Monster, whereas a trained job coach would know that you should be spending the majority of your time elsewhere. Also, you need to get honest feedback. Jim Collins refers to this, for business leaders, as facing the brutal facts. If I had a job coach early on I may have been able to avoid the problems I had in my resume, my approach, interview issues, and feeling really good about applying to bunches of jobs online. Even though I felt good at the end of each day or week (less all the emotional stress of not having a job), I was on the wrong path, and a job coach would have been able to tell me that. Finally, you need at least weekly contact. This is not a how you doing e-mail, this is an accountability session. How is the plan, are you executing it well, what did you do last week, what do you have planned this week? Stuff like that. It should be candid, productive and building. You need to make sure the meetings happen! And dont lie to the coach it does nothing to help you or your relationship. Now, Im not a professional coach, never have been, and dont think I ever will be I imagine that some of the things here are different in a professional, paid relationship. But whether you find an old buddy, boss or neighbor, or you find a real job/career coach, you need to get someone that you can be accountable to. One last note. A job coach isnt necessarily a mentor and vice versa. I recommend both ?? Running List: I will get a job coach (not my spouse) to hold me accountable for my job search efforts. I will encourange him or her to be honest and indicate that feedback is the greatest gift that I could receive. I will ask for at least weekly contact (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet) (havent done yet)