So many of my friends and colleagues continue to suffer through this seemingly endless economic malaise. Whether it is being laid off, not finding (any) new great work adventure, having work hours reduced or having personal relationships take a skid, most of us have seen some part of our lives take a hit as the economy finally begins its slow road to recovery.
I was laid off earlier this year from my dream job, and naturally I internalized some of the blame even though it was not my fault at all. Nearly 1500 of my co-workers also have received the pink slip over the last year. Each of them have probably had the same fault thoughts as they recover.
Three strategies that have helped me through to my next great adventure are not anything revolutionary. They are truly common-sense techniques that all of us possess, but some of us don’t use effectively. They are: Do not dwell on actions out of your control, use your network to seizer control of your career, and find ways to still have fun in life.
Like you, I am not a perfect person. Sometimes these techniques have gone out the window if I did not get a job I wanted, my daughter has had one of her teenage moments, or after I talk with a friend who is not handing life well.
But, overall, these strategies have truly kept me in the present without unduly worrying about the past or the future. They also can do the same for you!
For me: I was lucky to have parents who instilled these beliefs in me when I was young. Being resilient in today’s economy pales in comparison to life issues I have experienced in the past. As a person with a life-long physical disability (Cerebral Palsy or CP), I have literally fallen and hurt myself hundreds of times in my life. (Among other things, CP affects balance and walking.)
For my whole life, I’ve had to deal with things out of my control, nurture the support of my family and friends, find fantastic ways to stay resilient and still have fun. You, of course, have your own life challenges and my experiences might seem meager to what you have had to endure.
The point is finding control, accessing your network and continue having a bit of fun helps keep all of us from going nuts as we continue to hear that the economy and employment won’t truly hit their recovery stride until sometimes next year.
Control: What life and career actions are totally within your control? For me, being called a work “rock star” and “essential” gave me some belief that I could ride out the layoff wave. Yet, I was still laid off. Nearly all of us think we are in control of more things than we are. My mother has worked at the same company for nearly 63 years. She is a beloved instution at her company and continues to thrive every day. The rest of us can expect 10 jobs over our career – not because we like to move around or our performance is deficient. The great company you work for today may not be in control of their fate tomorrow.
So, why worry about things out of your control? A psychologist I had coffee with told me “it’s being human.” Sounds justifiable in the abstract, but that does not pay the mortgage, keep your solid relationships intact, or make you feel a whole lot better.
Next time you have a low-confidence moment, just think about the three life actions totally within your control – your attitude, your values and how you interact with people. Find ways to use these three to see what is important for your life – your family, your friends and yourself.
Network: All of us have our people “network” in addition to our close circle of family and friends. Most of us don’t use it as effectively as we could for various reasons. The most common is not knowing where to start.
In a previous article, I discussed my networking tips, which I will highlight for you again. If these work for me – being an introvert and physically challenged – they can most likely assist you in becoming better known in promoting your career needs.
Networking sounds hard, but it can be fairly straight-forward if you follow a few simple techniques. They can allow you to successfully network with anyone.
When setting up a coffee or lunch, remember to access anyone that you know – from your previous jobs, the associations you belong and all your social media connections. The last two wonderful jobs I landed were directly accessed through my network.
Here’s the “skinny”:
1. Never ask them for a job, but provide them with a statement of the work you are looking for and a resume they can look through. If they have something, you’ll hear about the position. Networking, initially, is to get to know the person so they remember you when a position crosses their desk or they see something over the Internet.
2. While not asking for a job, you must ask them if they could connect you with at least two other folks from their network you can talk with. Asking for other people’s names/contact info is less threatening to them and shows your true desire to ask for their advice and counsel.
3. Always ask the person if they would provide short e-mail introductions to their contacts. This will give you instant credibility with those you will be contacting. They know the person you networked with, and that person has said what a nice guy you are, etc.
4. Meet your network contacts at places and times convenient for them. Have them suggest a spot, and they will feel more comfortable.
5. Always e-mail them after your networking meeting thanking them for their advice and potential contacts. Also, ask them if you could stay in contact with them periodically and maybe meet again at some later point.
6. When you first connect with your networker’s contacts, make sure to reference the person’s name and what a nice person he/she is. This will connect you with that person as the new contact decides whether he/she has time to network or will be able to provide you with an informational interview.
7. Repeat the same processes with every person that becomes a part of your network. Be patient and don’t be concerned the person does not get back to you right away. He/she may be extremely busy, and they may value your true patience with them.
8. Additionally, always let the people you meet with know you are more than willing to help them network or get connected with your contacts if they, at some point, look for a new position. Because remember: A fantastic networker understands that connecting is not a one-way street. Providing two-way support will show your willingness to go the extra mile and will probably be memorable to your “network.”
9. One last to do: I encourage you become active in a relevant industry association as part of your current position at work. This will give you visibility in the association, and you could personally meet a lot of folks who might be able to help you in the future.
Belief in networking will help you land your next great work adventure.
Fun: When was the last time you truly had fun this year? My family and I recently headed down to the Keys in Florida. While extremely hot and humid, the time allowed me to step back from this year and just enjoy the time I spent with my family. No phone calls, e-mails to answer or even articles/blog posts to write. It was fabulous! As an introvert, I need to reenergize myself once in a while, and Key West offered me big-time “reenergizing.” When I got back to Minnesota, I felt a bit like the energizer bunny!
You may not want to travel, but please find some quality time for yourself to chill a bit and remember the great person that you are. This time will truly and honestly make a difference as you move forward in you job, your family and, most importantly, in your life!
Please let me know how you are doing and expect to see a new post next week. Until then, I hope you are having a resilient day!