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Many professionals coast, wait in the cut, or disengage from their job search because the Department of Labor numbers indicate it’s a “job seekers market.” Many more professionals dread the stress of the application process, scrutiny, and potential rejection of their efforts. In any economy, starting a job search is tricky because there are many things to manage, and it’s never easy. You don’t have to apply for a job to stay engaged in a job search.
My wife told me a story once of how she planted sitting for her roommate, and eventually, the plant died. Then she bought another plant to replace that one, and shortly after a while, the new plant resulted in a similar fate as the first. I know very little about plants, and it will show, but stay with me.
Many professionals work with their heads down, focused – until the announcement of your position has been phased out. Is your career watered and nurtured? It’s not too late to keep it moisturized and nurtured. Cut the still green parts, and cut the finished pieces – this is your career!
Recent history should have taught us that remaining engaged in improving and moving your career along requires more attention you give your plants:
1. Prepare and cultivate the soil of your experience
2. Plant the seeds of new skills
3. Water them regularly, growing new experiences
4. Prune old and useless weeds of skills you won’t need
5. Offer an array of vibrant and radiant personality
A plant is a living organism. Your career growth is similar to a plant’s health. It needs your attention. It will die if you’ve left it to fend for itself.
Like an unattended plant, your career lacks water (or life):
1. If you water your plant now and then
You’ll find out your company wasn’t using “cutting-edge” technology after all.
Budgets crumble, management changes, and innovation stifles, but mostly, they never used cutting-edge technology. The “cutting-edge” technology part was right ten years ago. You didn’t research or network with others outside your company in your industry to see if they claim it is true. Let’s not make that mistake again.
2. If you don’t prepare the soil
You waited for the company to pay for the training to make you marketable
When companies spend money on training, their specific business need is at the forefront, not your career aspirations. You can find other business needs requiring the same activity or control of your career and invest in the resources for skills other companies demand.
3. Oops, now you’re drowning your plants
By tomorrow, you have to update all of your marketing tools (resumes, cover letters, etc.). Just as flooding your plants with water is not correct, neither is binge preparation.
Athletes train in their off-season to remain competitive to keep their position during training camp. Similarly, successful professionals keep their resumes updated and ready to compete.
4. You may need to see if you have enough seeds
Your references and network have moved on in their careers (and they’re not rushing to your rescue)
Like jobs, former references become irrelevant and, perhaps, have moved on and no longer offer a relevant job reference. If they’re not more than ten years removed from your exploits, keep up with them. Don’t forget to add others who can offer testimonies about your work and, if possible, write favorable Linkedin recommendations for you.
5. Gone before you noticed, and the loss is overwhelming
For many professionals, losing a job is similar to losing a family or family support. The narrative needs to shift as companies change staffing, or selling is a new norm. Absorb the shock of a sudden job loss by engaging with your network, professional development, or industry organizations.
6. Afraid you’ll get caught watering other plants
Getting caught looking is not just a baseball batter’s worry but a legitimate career concern, too! There are many ways to find work while working, and it’s easier now than ever to protect your current employment. You can conduct a stealth job search easier with many of the resources available on your mobile, as well as other ways to find job leads.
If you neglect a plant for long periods, it will die quicker than if you watered them regularly. Similarly, your career goals will fade away or die if they go unattended. Then again, your career reflects the life of a tree planted that grows in water. It’s big, healthy, and often has a long life – but it stays in the water, surviving any drought.
About Mark Anthony Dyson
I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.