Job Seekers: Let Change Work for You

This weekend and even this morning catching up with friends on Twitter, the topic of conversation varied but all focused on change. Change taking place in our personal lives and around the world in our professional lives every day. Talking with many on the changes in their lives, some were all for it while others were trying to control it, but all were noticing it.

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.  ~Victor Frankl

It is much easier to accept change and work with it than to avoid, deny, or fight change, but it usually takes a bit of fighting with it before accepting the challenge to change our selves – our thoughts. You don’t have to like the change occurring, but at least realize it is happening with or without your permission or approval.

You do still have control though. The control you have is to understand you have a choice in accepting and reacting to the change. You can fight it, be angry and get nothing accomplished or you can decide you will figure out how to use this change to get the most out of the situation.

In the case of a job loss, so many people are being laid off at the same time that it seems like know one has a choice. But individually you’ve got a lot of say in how you respond to your job loss. Most walk around in shock, disbelief or denial for a while, decide to take an extended vacation and then eventually get into the job search mode. Even once they’ve decided to look for a job, the effort – honestly, is pretty weak.

Then there are those that immediately accept this change. They don’t waste time in realizing there is no changing the lay off decision, but decide they have a choice on how to proceed. They use this privilege of choice, to make the most of their new situation and look at it as an opportunity.

These are the job seekers that find the jobs. Right now, it might take a little longer than say 2 or 3 years ago, but the motivated job seekers are still the ones landing the good jobs. Their attitude is louder than their words, because it reveals their drive and their confidence level. It is this go-getter attitude that will get their resume ready quickly, get in them touch with old contacts and help them make new ones daily, develop a plan, network often,  land interviews and get them the job.

So, your choice is to pick yourself and you attitude up and go find what you are looking for or sit back and watch others achieve their goals. I know what I would do…how bout you?