We've been keeping busy sending off our applications. (It's still hunting season after all). We've tried various options for hunting, we've looked in the papers and scrounged around online and asked a friend (or even a stranger). We updated our resumes and tried to be creative with our formats, fonts and functions. We've networked and Twittered and blogged till our eyes are sore. But we've been flying around in the unemployment skies for too long now and it's time to land (we're low on faith-fuel). Before bringing this bird in for landing however, we need to have a landing plan. If we come in too hot, too heavy, too fast or too slow, we risk crashing and burning. So let's circle a bit. Maybe it's time to rethink our approach. Perhaps a new method is required. Perhaps, we need to learn how to waltz.
Some of us have been selective in the effort. We've sifted through the classifieds carefully and cross-referenced, methodically matched and strategically analysed the pickings (which are slim), looking for the best of the lot. This is satisfying though not necessarily successful method.
Some of us have broadened the effort and have widened our search to hunting for jobs in the general theme of things. We've stretched it a bit and tried to convince ourselves (and others) that some of those jobs are well within our reach. Once they are within your capabilities, I say go for it. I'm all for trying something new and highly encourage it, so straddle the fence and widen your boundaries. You may want to note however, that owning a cat does not qualify you to work as pharmacist for the veterinarian's office, since you're not after all, a pharmacist. (You know who you are). But this can be a rewarding method if you're really interested in broadening your scope within your field, or if you're trying to start a new career slightly off where you started. It can however, backfire quickly if your heart isn't in it, because if you just land a job for the sake of landing one and don't put some heart into it, you may very well be back on the breadline too soon (crash) and recovering from another blow so quickly may not go well (burn).
But if you selected and sorted and then stretched and straddled and still come up empty, your distance swim can feel a whole lot like sinking. And for those of us in this category, we're going to dance our way to shore. Side step, back step, back step, forward.
If you haven't worked for awhile, now may not be the time to try to move up the ladder. It's not impossible (don't let me discourage you) but it's highly improbable (I won't encourage you either). Stick to jobs within a similar level to where you were a few months ago before you were unemployed. In other words, before you step up, step to the side. But the brave of us dancers who grew up on Fame and Solid Gold, we know that before the mid-air twist with a somersault finish, the best dancers, took a preparation step back. Be willing to do something different and earn less than where you were before. (Earning less is better than earning none). So before you skim over jobs you can rock out in your sleep, consider applying for them. Frankly, apply to everything. You just may land one. And once we're back in the land of the working, that's definitely taking a step forward. And once we've stepped forward, we can dance our way home.
(Oh, by the way, I'm not training you for the next installation of Dancing with the Stars so you may not want to take my dance instructions too literally.)
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