Careers & Employment Information

I am in my mid-thirties, and, as you can imagine, I have changed and looked for jobs many times in my life. No matter how successful was in my job hunting research, I realized that there are certain ground "rules" that need to be respected; otherwise, we will not get what we want from our careers.

First of all, forget about your resume.

A resume can't get you a job. A resume won't get you a job. Research proved that for 1,400 resumes sent out, there is only ONE job offer! The percentage is very low so instead of worrying too much about the structure, the layout and the type of fonts you will use to create a fantastic resume, do the following:

Find what you really want to do in life.

By saying that, I don't only imply a job title. Yes, you would like to be a marketing executive, an editor, an IT consultant or a flying attendant; however, it's the nature of the job you will have to think of, in the first place. Do you like nine-to-five roles, well structured and in an office? Do you prefer to work in the outdoors? Do you mind getting up at dawn to work and taking afternoons off? Would you mind being on a plane or ship, or do you think that is a fun way to get a pay check? If you feel that you do not have the answer to these questions, think twice.

Make lists with things you enjoy in life: your interests, your hobbies, your passions. Then ask your friends or family. What do they think about you? Very often, we do not have a very clear idea of what we like in life, as we are very much "into it". Our closest people, though, can help us by identifying areas, hang-ups or paths we ignore or are unable to see. Just give it a go, play around, ask people and move on. By the end of your research, you will know, for example, that you are the person who enjoys working on his own, prefers the unstructured life style, and works well at night. Then, a career in writing or painting might not sound like a bad idea.

Identify the industries you are attracted to.

This is a funny task. Very often, we think we like everything. We like the movies, books, planes, hotels, schools and restaurants. Yes, we do. This does not imply that we would like to work for these industries. Enjoying a nice meal at your local restaurant, does not necessarily make you a successful cook. Your love for children does not make you a happy and wise teacher, either.

Finding the industry of your choice is a long term process, and it will require constant research and clarity on your part. I remember I had a huge "crush" on the film industry five years ago. I worked for a film festival that didn't last more than two months. I kept applying for jobs in the film industry, unsuccessfully. The problem was that I did not exactly know what type of job I wanted to do. Was it script writing, producing, PR, acting or what? Then I started to take classes on film writing. It was when I finished the third class of script writing that I understood that going to the movies was a fun hobby, but that this was not my industry. After that, I gave up sending resumes and I concentrated on my real needs and desires. I finally found a job for a different industry that I enjoyed.

Have a real project.

For two weeks, buy all the newspapers and magazines you can find in your local area and/or nationally. Then clip job ads you feel attracted to. Keep them in a folder on a daily basis. Each morning, find out the main elements of the job ad. Was it an intellectual job, a creative role, an analytical position or something that involved adventure and taking risks? Do you prefer management roles or travel, editing or calculating, speaking or thinking? If you do that consistently for two weeks, you will have a very clear idea of the roles/jobs you like. I experimented myself, and I found out that when looking for nine-to-five roles, I liked all management positions because they offered flexibility, travel, high profile contacts and decision making. My client, Helen, who is an editor in a publishing house loves her job although she admits that it can be repetitive sometimes. I could not imagine Helen managing, as she is the type of person who thrives on independent, analytical and writing jobs. On the other hand, my friend John, who is a lecturer at the local college, enjoys research and teaching.

Last but not least: the most important element for successful job hunting is to find out who you are, not just what you want to do. Are you a leader, a writer, a speaker, a motivator? An explorer, a risk-taker, an analyst, an artist or a priest? As an identity, you are unique. Just recognize your uniqueness and authenticity, and move on. Finding the job you want is the first step. Then you have to do this job for forty hours a week for a whole life. It is important that you deserve to express "your being" while doing it?

There are many other tips and strategies that will help us all to find what we want to do for a living. These four strategies form, in my opinion, the foundation to success for a first, second or fifth job. Maybe you will find a new job that will fit your personality better, because you found out who you are. Happy Hunting!

Thei Zervaki is a career coach and founder of http://www.ditchyouresume.com. She coaches individuals who don't like to edit resumes, delivers fun workshops and helps her clients to get results.

Email her at tzervaki@ditchyouresume.com.