Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone

Posted on 30. Aug, 2010 by ggunn in Blog

One of the best perks of my job is that I get to meet a lot of people. Many are candidates looking for employment. These people amaze me daily with their diligence and frank discussions of what is it like to be looking for employment in today’s job market. My hat goes off to all of you! I also get to work with business leaders either looking for these candidates or who can offer them advice or training.

I had the pleasure of meeting Angela Schultz at two different networking events – both Spark and Hustle events led by Tory Johnson– and each time I loved Angela’s enthusiasm and no-nonsense advice. Angela also trains with Jack Canfield and he is one of my all time favorite inspirational leaders. Below is an article that Angela wrote for MGD Services in support of candidates during their job search journey. Enjoy!

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Are you someone who thinks they are flexible or do you hate getting out of your comfort zone? There are so many people who feel they are flexible until they are faced with the ultimate flexibility challenge – the loss of a job! For most people, whether they love their job or not, it provides a sense of security. We go to work every day, some of us elated to be there and others, just going through the motions, but since 2008, there has been serious unrest in this country because of the escalating unemployment.

If you have lost your job, I am sorry. If you are going to work every day, waiting to hear your supervisor say:” Can I see you in my office?”, I am sorry. The fact is the job market is unstable, but you don’t have to be. Here are some tips to weather this storm, at any time and at any age:

Stop Waiting for the phone to ring! This is the one time in your life that your assertiveness really counts. When asked, most people who searched for a job for many months before landing, say that the one thing they would have changed about their job search is how soon they took advantage of the networks they already had. So many people say that they know lots of people who could help them, but they want to wait to use those resources. Don’t wait! People who know you and your work are the most likely to help connect you to the right people in other organizations. There isn’t anyone in the United States that isn’t aware of the job crisis in this country. Don’t hold onto the old myth that losing a job is your fault. It is not true and no one feels that way.

Here is a simple exercise you can do to get you started on the path of using your existing networks. I challenge you to see how many names you can come up with in 5 minutes!

Take a piece of paper and divide it into six sections. Each section will have its own label: Family & Friends, Colleagues & Supervisors, Professional Organizations, Church & Community, Business connections, Your Significant Other’s Network. Make a list of every name you can think of in each category. The key is to write down EVERYONE who comes to mind – don’t judge whether or not you think they will help you!

There! In just five minutes you have your network identified. Now start calling them.

Spend some time writing down the answer to this question: Why should I hire you? Seriously, this is an exercise that will help you identify all of the accomplishments you have had throughout your career. Every employer is looking for two key elements: does the person have the qualifications to do the job at hand and does he/she have the motivation. If you can prove you have both the qualifications and motivation to do a job, you will be a very attractive candidate to that employer.

Be able to list your top five accomplishments of your career. Be sure to include the most recent accomplishments. Those fabulous things you did twenty years ago, were important for your growth, but focusing on the past too much gives the employer a negative impression about your flexibility and willingness to learn and grow.

Contrary to popular belief, name dropping is the key to landing a job sooner rather than later. What I mean by that is you should research companies in your area where you could appropriately work. Make a list of those companies. When you are networking, rather than saying things like: I am in transition, or I am looking for a new position, tell the person the name of a company or several companies you are targeting and ask who they know there.

Here’s why this works so effectively. I am a Career Coach and everyone I work with is looking for a job. If you walk through my door and say: “I am looking for a job”, no wheels start turning in my brain. I don’t know what you do and I don’t know where you want to work. I can’t effectively help you. If however, you say: “I am looking for an opportunity at XYZ Company, I will immediately try to think of who I know at XYZ Company and try to connect you. The same holds true of the general public. Once you have identified your target company, they will try to think of who they know there.

This is one of the best ways to get yourself on the fast track for an effective jobsearch.

Your attitude is your calling card. The more positive you are about finding your next position, the more appealing you are to employers. If you think back to every time you changed positions, there may have been some angst initially, but often the change was just what you needed to grow and develop into the person you are today. Up-level you attitude by spending some quiet time every day reflecting on how grateful you are for all you know because of the jobs you have had, and how exciting it will be to be working for a new company that wants you and will be excited to have someone with your skills on their staff. Developing an attitude of gratitude is a powerful tool for landing that next job in short order.

Angela I. Schutz is Managing Director/Founder of Driven To Succeed Consulting LLC, a career development/executive coaching and public speaking service aimed at empowering people to find their ultimate career potential.