The Voice of Job Seekers

Mark Anthony Dyson ★ Career Writer ★ Speaker ★ Thinker ★ Award-winning Blog & Podcast! ★ "The Job Scam Report" on Substack! ★ I hack and reimagine the modern job search!

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by Mark Anthony Dyson

Achieve Career Success by Defining Failure

Achieve Career Success by Defining Failure
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Failure quotes
Failure quotes – Quotes – Pictures

 

Which is worse, to lose or to fail in chasing career success? Losing sounds temporary, but failing implies permanent. Most job seekers will say losing occurs more often than failure, and sometimes losing FEELS like failure. Knowing the difference between losing and failing in your career search is essential to WINNING, and getting  job offers.

We can argue that failing is OK as long as it is not a lifestyle. But if you don’t want to job search to failure, how will you know what to avoid?

Failing in the career hunt is tricky. It could appear as success at some stages. If you want an example, think of the devil. That dastardly angel with horns offer attractive and alluring temptations (so I’m told).Failing can affect you similarly that it looks good at first, but too good…well, you know the cliché.

What are you willing to lose to succeed? How do you define career search failure? This is important for you to know that for yourself. Here are some suggestions in clearly marking where career failure begins. These are signs and not a norm.

1. No steps to career success

This works 100% of the time. No plan accompanied by dreams of hot tubs and caviar means that you are shopping at the local church food pantry.

2. Lacking respect for other people’s time

It’s bad that YOU possess a reputation for being late to everything. In fact, it’s an ongoing friend and family joke until no one important respects you. Potential employers disqualify you when you are late. You don’t call to say you’re late. You call to offer excuses.

3. Un-sharing mistakes and errors

Sharing your mistakes and faults, funny, or unfunny makes you likeable. If you are not perceived as being helpful, why would a company hire you? Ever notice the people who love you know your faults?

4. Do not love challenges

What do you do when someone calls you higher? Become quiet and reserved, or appreciate that they care? Mentors who you respect and are ahead of you in the game possess more value than you can measure. Find a mentor who will challenge your decisions, judgments, and vision for yourself.

5. If it’s a numbers only game

Insecure job seekers want people to know they are trying. He or she wants people to know their desperation applying to 100 jobs a month. What that says is that you want any old job. An unfocused job search is no longer an investment into finding a meaningful and fulfilling career. So your only job leads are cattle calls to 100% commission sales positions.

6. Ignoring reasons to celebrate with others

A heart check is being happy and encouraging the success with others. It is hard sometimes to spur someone else on, but the returns are valuable.

7. Mute the noise from your conscience.

It feels wrong, it looks wrong, but lacks a manual to tell you it’s right. It’s wrong. People will tell you shortcuts to use that are lies. Those are people who you shouldn’t listen to for career advice.

8. No continual training or learning experiences

Are you seeking out training in your career, even if its free? It’s hard to pay for seminars when it exceeds what you are making a week, but are you looking for alternatives? Employers consider those things, especially if unemployed. Two places where people don’t consider looking are the community college weekend courses that run in range of $25-75 dollars, and CAN (Cable Access Network) TV. There is quality training available that can keep you moving toward your goal.

9. You rarely ask (the right) questions. Or answer (the right) questions.

Questions that cause you to think about a bad scenario deserve more air time in your brain. You don’t have to fail, especially if your plans to succeed include errors, mistakes, and wonder. You stop and Y, and why, when you need to continue. The shame.

Before you claim failure, you should define clearly what failure is to you. To get you started I suggest a few in the following areas:

  • Did I fail to pick the money off the table? Entry-level positions rarely offer opportunities for negotiating, but professional and mid-management, it is expected. Negotiating starts upon contact with demonstration of value, and never ends even at the signing table
  • Did I fail to answer important questions during interviews? Style points are irrelevant, and zero points for partially answered questions. Go back to questions left unanswered even after the interview
  • Do I fail to under promise and over deliver value? Are you looking for opportunities to bring practicality to the ideas offered?
  • Do I fail by running out of time? The one thing that college football pundits used to say about Bobby Bowden, “Bobby never loses, he  just runs out of time.” Timing is everything.

There are more suggestion I’m sure you can think of and add in the comment section below. How will you know when you have failed enough to start over?

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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.

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Filed Under: Career, Jobseekers Tagged With: Career, Failure, Job seekers

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I moderated a panel on Wealth Management for executives by Black Enterprise Magazine in October 2023 in Miami.

I was interviewed on Scripps News show, “The Why!” 4/13/2023

I talked with John Tarnoff and Kerry Hannon of “The Second Act” podcast about job searching after 50 in October 2022.

I was on “The Career Confidante” podcast to talk about “boomerang employees” and “job fishing” in June 2022.

Making Job Search a Lifestyle With “Dr. Dawn Graham on Careers,” SiriusXM Ch. 132, Wharton School of Business May 2021

In May 2020, I talked with LinkedIn’s Senior News Editor Andrew Seaman on “#GetHired” Live.”

Beverly Jones, host of the NPR podcast “Jazzed About Work,” invited me back to talk job scams, job search trends, and AI tools in April 2024

WOUB Digital · Episode 183 : Job search expert Mark Dyson says beware of scams, know AI & keep learning

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