A job search is never easy. Searching for a new job during a pandemic, well… let’s just say it puts a whole new spin on things. It wasn’t going to be easy, and I fully expected it was going to take some time. I had been doing a lot of online reading so I knew what I was up against. With so many people out of work, this leg of my next adventure was certainly going to be interesting.
Updating the Ol’ Resume
The first thing I had to do for my job search, was update the ol’ resume. Fortunately, I have been diligent in keeping it up to date, but now “resume” means so much more. It’s not just a piece of paper, it’s your whole online presence. I subscribe to a few websites that gave me access to some amazing information.
There are so many options these days to updating your information. For me, the choice was clear. I decided to pay for a service to update my resume to match the industry standard in today’s market. While I was living on a fixed income for the moment, it was the only way I was going to compete. So I bit the bullet and went for it.
I chose a service that helps those in my industry. It seemed like a perfect fit. I even paid extra to have my resume posted on their website. I wasn’t too hopeful, but right now, I had to take every option available to me. This was going to be the job search to end all job searches.
An Online Presence
Another thing I had to really think about in my job search was my online presence. I have a couple; one for my writing and other personal projects, and then one for my HR career. I wanted to update both, but I decided that my HR one was the priority. Once again, I spent some money and learned what was needed to make that happen.
Through social media, I connected with a job coach who taught me a number of things I wasn’t doing with my LinkedIn profile. It was worth every penny that I spent. Now my profile is worthy to be looked at, and I feel proud of my accomplishments.
Job Search: Make a Plan, and Work your Plan
Immediately after my last official day of my job, I began, in earnest, searching for a new job. I made a plan and worked it very methodically. While concentrating on areas of the country where we potentially wanted to move, I also limited my search to two individual roles that I was immensely qualified – recruiting and training.
I had to refine the plan a few times. A big change occurred when I quickly learned that I was missing a key qualification for the trainer role. I thought I had the right skillset, but I was lacking a certification. Since I did not want to spend any more money, I turned my focus on the recruiter role. It was the best decision.
Patience is Not My Virtue
I applied for dozens of roles, but it was like crickets. I knew I had to be patient, but sometimes, it is not my best virtue. The growing silence was a defining job search moment for me. Where did I go wrong? Did I go against what I had written about previously? Did I oversaturate the market with my resume?
My guy really wanted me to wait until next Spring, but I was not one to sit back on my laurels. After sending out about 50 resumes/applications, my gut said, “Enough! Something will happen, just wait!” I needed to sit back and see what happened. Searching for a new job was always so easy for me, but I felt like a failure with all the silence. My head understood the realities, but my heart was heavy with sadness.
The Job Search Waiting Game
Spending more time on my studies and other things to keep me distracted while I waiting turned out to be the best medicine. It helped me to realize that I needed more “me” time. Playing the Job Search Waiting Game was the right thing to do because the job I had been wanting was on its way. I just needed to #embracethechanges that were coming.
Stay tuned for Part 4 of My Next Adventure!
