You probably put a lot of time and energy into getting that job you hate. Think about it…you had to interview; you have probably invested a considerable amount of time and effort for who knows how long. But if you are ready to take the first steps towards a job you actually LOVE to go to each day, then here are three simple yet powerful steps you can take right now:

Step #1. Define and Write Down Your Goals.

Focus on the long term goals first and resist the temptation to worry about how you are going to get there. The “how” is what usually stops us in our tracks. It’s that fear of the unknown – that place you venture out to that creates that uncomfortable feeling. Yes venturing to these places can be uncomfortable but you will quickly find it also does something else. It gets you moving forward and that too, is a powerful motivator AND a confidence builder!

Step #2. Assess Your Surroundings

Notice the people you are working amongst and the product or service you offer. Are you like them or do you feel like a square peg in a round hole? Do you feel like you fit in? What about the product or service you offer – do you believe in it? Does it resonate with you? This is how you can quickly come to terms with what might not be right about your current situation. Maybe it’s your immediate surroundings or maybe it’s the industry itself that is not a match for you. I know for me, in the positions I had that didn’t “fit” me – not only did I feel like an outsider I acted like one because something inside me didn’t “buy in” or “fit in” with everybody else. Not a good way to get a promotion is it?

Step #3: Build Your Job Around Your Life

You can begin to take an honest look at your work/life balance by writing down the lifestyle choices that are most important to you and your family. How many points is your current career supporting? Another powerful step you can take is simply to write down what your job might LOOK like if it was truly built around you life. This is the first step to initiating change in a positive direction. Even if that change may be in the distant future, you will be amazed how much you can and will accomplish by taking this initial action.  Planned relocations, strategic salary increases, consulting, telecommuting, portfolio careers and flexible schedules are all plans that you can put into motion today and examples of career choices I have seen professionals successfully make to build their job around their life!

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If you are like so many of my clients, you begin your job search with a great zeal and a boundless enthusiasm. You probably found a handful of jobs PERFECT for you on the internet. So you put together your resume and a cover letter for each job, meticulously sending out each electronic application one-by-one. Then what happened? Did you wait and wait only to hear nothing back?

I call this the “what’s wrong with my resume” syndrome. When an intelligent and well meaning job searcher begins to look for a new position using the internet, only to experience these results, it quickly leads to frustration, disillusionment and despair.

Providing you know your resume is focused properly and sells your skills well for the industry and position you are targeting – if the above story describes you, take heart! Here is the information you need to boost your online job activity and MORE:

Did you know over 80% of jobs are filled before they ever have to be advertised? It’s true. And by the time they are advertised several other things happen:

1. There is a whole lot of competition for that position
2. The company most likely will be swamped with resumes if they advertise on a job board
3. The job posting will most likely be handled by staff in Human Resources vs., a decision maker
4. The job process itself will probably be long and mechanical process of screening out candidates down to a final three

 Doesn’t sound like al to of fun does it? Using job boards as your main method for trying to land interviews is the method that brings with it the most amount of perceived rejection from the sheer lack of response. The BEST thing you can do to increase your interviews is to integrate multiple job search strategies including working with recruiters, following up on corporate growth opportunities, networking and contacting companies directly.

To improve your online job search experience first you want to find a good job aggregator or Meta-search engine (like www.indeed.com) and use that as your primary job search vehicle. This way you won’t have to spend hours bouncing from one job board to the next.

Next, set up an email job alert on your job aggregator – so that the job descriptions that fit you will be set to come to your e mail inbox each day. You will be able to measure the time just this one tip will save you – in hours!

Finally in addition to your email agent, the next two places worthwhile to check out online are company websites and niche job boards. Use discernment as you choose one or two niche boards to keep tabs on. Often times, companies will advertise on their site to attempt to fill their open positions well before they will pay a job board to advertise the positions for them.

Understanding the sometimes harsh realities of using the internet to search for jobs will empower you will a healthy objectivity as you move forward towards your goals. These powerful tips are easy changes you can make that will quickly improve your results.

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No matter if you are changing industries, changing-up your position, wishing to relocate or just looking to work for a better company, there is one thing you must have to be successful.   It’s a thing that is rarely talked about in direct terms by job seekers, recruiters, resume writers or career coaches. Sure, you can muddle through some job search techniques and develop some marketing collateral to get you pointed in the right direction, but without this thing…your success will surely be limited.  

So, what is this thing?

It is called VIRTUE. The thread that weaves through every job search technique and every interview strategy is truly virtue. And by focusing on developing and increasing your virtue, you stand to improve every facet of our job search.  

 So what kinds of virtue to you need to be a highly successful job seeker? Virtually every kind. They can include temperance, fortitude, kindness, patience, graciousness, politeness, truthfulness, courage, excellence, high morals, high ethics, servitude, honesty, tactfulness, discipline, fairness, flexibility, commitment, diligence, integrity, honor and my favorite: humility.  

A word about humility. Its seems we rarely hear the word humble anymore, especially as it relates to success or successful people. Perhaps that is because in western society humility is erroneously connected with weakness. However the opposite is true. It takes a strong, gracious and grounded individual to express true humility. And humility is one of those beautiful gifts that cannot be hidden. It comes through in a persons tone, their voice, and their mannerisms. It is a prize and treasure to possess humility. Even just a little.  

 A truly humble person stands to greatly impress a key decision maker when introducing him or herself over the phone. A humble person often makes a tremendous positive impression in an interview, for example. And it is often the humble individual who earns the respect of their team or rises up through the ranks to become a cherished and respected corporate leader.

There is a story about a corporate executive who was trying to switch industries and obtain a position in academia. When a key university contacted him about a job, they indicated they needed to see his college transcripts before they could submit his application. Instead of complying, this executive wrote a scathing email to the director of human resources complaining about the overemphasis on the legalities of applying. Needless to day this executive did not even secure an interview.  

 The daily successes and losses of a job search require diligence in achieving your career goals, patience as you move forward each day and kindness to those who agree to speak with you and help you. Each of us had virtues more developed than others. Which ones are yours? Once you have defined them you can LEAD with them in order to maximize your job search success.

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