What would I do if I lost my job?
Wednesday, October 18th, 2006Imagine this:
Yikes! You just lost your job! You’ve been so busy at *work* that you don’t feel your network is as strong as you would like it to be! What are you going to do with (and to) your network in the next 6 weeks as you begin an aggressive job search campaign? And, outside of your network, what job search tactics will you employ? Or your best networking tips related to job searches.
That’s the question posted by Jason Alba as part of a “blog carnival.” He will eventually link to all the people who have posted on the topic. Here’s what I would do:
Pursue a passion:
I would decide what I’m passionate about, what I really love to do, then I would pursue it.Â
Read:
I would read a careful selection of books, blogs, and magazines to learn everything I can about the job I’m pursuing. I would learn who the key players are in the industry. What is their history, their niche, and their focus. I would find a need then prepare myself to fill it.
Write:
I would carefully document my job pursuit in a blog. What are the lessons I’ve learned? Who are the people I’ve met? What is the industry need that I can fill? I would link-out a lot and be fairly transparent in my writing, but when something is sensitive, I would write it in my private journal. My blog will be a valuable networking tool at the same time it builds credibility.
Go Get The Job:
After updating my resume, I would use what I’ve learned and who I’ve met to go out and find the job I want.
My perspective might be kind of unique in that I don’t mind if I’m unemployed for a few months. I’m single, and can live on very little. It wouldn’t be hard for me to squeak by until I find the job I really want. The important thing is that I put myself on the road I want to be on. I hope I never have to take a job just to have a job.