Myth 1:  Job search is difficult.  Ok bear with me for a second on this one.  Yes job searching is difficult I agree but I do think you might make it that way because of your fears.  Having a plan on who you are, what you are excited about doing (work you would love to do) where you are going in your career and who can best help you is the tough part.  But once you have that info figured out and straight in your head, you should be excited to get out and job search.  It should be exciting and easy because you know where you want to go.  So if you think the job search is difficult, you may want to spend some more time trying to figure out what excites you and then go search it out.  It might surprise you how fast you find something when you are excited about it.

Myth 2:  Your job search will take a long time.  Many people think their job search will take a long time because they are not sure what the future holds.  Actually, a job search can be something that doesn’t take long at all.  If you are let go from your current job, don’t take time off to find yourself or go on a mini vacation.  Get right in your chair and start looking immediately.  Any delay can derail your long term efforts.  Make your new passion finding your new job and then go on your mini vacation as a celebration once you have a starting date.  Plan to work six to eight hours a day for four full days a week.  Take one day off for other things and to keep yourself motivated but keep up a very healthy pace.

Myth 3:  Just finding a job with a paycheck or health insurance is a good stop gap.  I think this is a mistake.  I think you have to be careful you don’t get stuck in something you hate doing because at the end of the day you are affecting your future and your overall health when you are doing something that is unsatisfying.  If you truly are working hard and smart to find a new job in a great field, settling is taking your backup plan.  I am ok with backup plans but be very careful with this one.

Myth 4:  You think if you can just get into the interview you will get the job.  This is a tough one because the job market is so competitive right now.  Just getting the interview is not going to cut it like it used to.  Yes you might be better in face-to-face situations but you are still going to have to show value to the hiring manager on why they should hire you over someone else.  Long gone are the days when you can charm your way in.  It takes a lot more effort, planning and “selling” than every before.  Be prepared especially in the interviews.

Myth 5:  Since the economy is tough, I may have to take a pay cut.  This is a fearful cop-out.  You can find the same pay you were making and probably even more if you take a more planned approach to your job search.  It might require you to finish some course work or do a great job selling what you bring to a company but you can make more money in a new job EVEN if you were let go.  Pay is about perception and economics.  If they think you are the right person for the job and you have demonstrated they need you, your income can rise.

Let’s Get Started!

Jeff