The Definition of Job Search Insanity

Albert Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results. The same concept applies to the job search process. You must be willing to adapt and modify your job search methods if what you are doing is not working for you.

I was told the story today of a military veteran who is having some difficulty with finding a position now that they have separated. The person who told me the story is a trainer that teaches career development skills. They reviewed the service member's resume and recommended some major changes to the resume so that their search would be more effective.

Unfortunately, the service member refused to make the necessary changes. Their comment was that their resume"is good enough." If your goal is to land a job, then a resume or job search effort that is not leading to job interviews is not "good enough."

As you progress in your job search, you must be willing to continually evaluate your efforts so that you can make changes, modifications, or adaptations to optimize your results. It is always best to take a multi-pronged approach to your job search and use a wide variety of search methods. Looking for a job is like navigating a trip on a road map. There are multiple routes you can use to reach your destination, you just need to find the one that is most efficient and works best for you. Here are some alternatives that you might want to try as you explore the best job search methods for you and your goal.

• Network with friends, relatives, professors, former co-workers, and former supervisors
• Job search networking events and Chamber of Commerce mixers
• Internet job boards
• Research companies in your industry using online resources
• State Workforce/Career One Stop Center
• Job fairs and hiring expos
• Employment agencies
• College or University career placement centers
• Unions or trade organizations
• Professional organizations in your industry

The 5-step Recovery Strategy for When You Make a Mistake at Work

You may have noticed that the title says "when" you make a mistake and not "if" you make a mistake. We all make mistakes, some are just more serious than others and some are just more public - I'm talking to you Lance Armstrong - than others. There will come a day when you make a workplace error, so you might as well be proactive and use this 5-step strategy to correct the mistake when it does happen.

Own up to it. We are often disappointed when we hear of people making mistakes. However, I feel the issue is made worse by first denying the issue, then later coming out and not only having to admit the mistake, but also admit to lying. Unless your error is insignificant and will have no long-lasting repercussions, tell your supervisor about the issue immediately so that it is not discovered by someone else.

Solve your own problems. When I was a manager, I always told the people who worked with me that they could come to me with any issue. However, I also told them that they were not allowed to dump their issue in my lap; they must come with a potential solution in mind. Before you go to your boss to admit your mistake, take time to research to effect of the gaffe and outline a plan to correct the mistake that includes any potential costs to your employer.

Don't point fingers. There may be others who share your responsibility for the issue at hand. You should go to them and encourage them to follow your example and admit their role in the problem. However, when you point fingers, you only make yourself look worse.

Go above and beyond to correct the mistake. If your plan for correction includes an expenditure of time, try to do it on your own time. Offer to work through lunch, stay late, or work on weekends; just don't expect to be paid extra for the time it will take to correct your mistake.

Don't dwell on the problem. Lance Armstrong admitted his mistake and apologized for what he did. However, I don't expect him to continue to apologize and castigate himself every time he opens his mouth from here on. Once you admit your mistake and take corrective actions, you must move on, forgive yourself, and ensure you have learned from your mistake so it does not happen again.

The Power of Failure. How to Turn a Mistake into a Positive Experience.

I love constructive feedback. To me, having someone help me see my weaknesses is akin to finding ways to get  better at what I do. I am not a glutton for punishment; I enjoy compliments as much as the next person. However, I think when I fail - as long as I face it with the right attitude - I become better during my next attempt. Here are some ideas on how to turn your failures into a learning experience.

Take an Outside Look at Your Actions
I often find myself surrounded by finger-pointers. When something goes wrong there are few people willing to step forward and admit to a mistake or failure, they instead get defensive. Try to separate your feelings when you respond to a mistake. Look at your actions from the outside, evaluate your actions as though they were made by someone else, and acknowledge your failure without trying to self-justify.

Actually Listen to Other People's Feedback
When we don't like the negative things that people tell us, we tend to dismiss them or chalk them up to the other person's shortcomings. Practice actually hearing criticisms from others and practice listening to that criticism without taking it personally. Ask questions of your critic to find out how they think you can do things differently the next time. Use this information to find ways that you can improve.

Surround Yourself with Informed, Trustworthy Peers
We all enjoy praise, but I only want sincere kudos that I have earned. Gather a trusted "advisory board" of peers that will give you honest feedback on when you have succeeded, when you have failed, and why they feel this way. Having the honest, frank and compassionate opinion of people you trust is an invaluable way to ensure you keep growing.

You Made a Mistake...Well Done!

If you have ever applied for a job, there is a high probability that you have committed one or two (or more...) faux pas during your job search. I, personally, have been on the business end of behavioral interview questions that had me staring like a deer in headlights, missed an interview because I misread the time I had put into my planner, and-in high school-I went to a scholarship interview in jeans and a plaid shirt.

You may think that it took a lot of pride-swallowing to write what I did above, publicly out myself for engaging in such foolish behavior and making such dunderheaded mistakes. However, you won't catch me slapping more forehead and saying "Ugh, what an idiot I was!" Not anymore. Because when it comes to the mistakes of my past, I've moved past beating myself up and moving towards celebrating them.

Job search mistakes can be described in three ways: they're inevitable (we're all going to make them), potentially debilitating (we can beat ourselves up about them in perpetuity), and they're rich in information (we can learn a lot from them). Most job seekers either deny the first and wallow in the second; they perpetually lament their screw-up and-at worse-internalize the mistake to make it a reflection of them as a person. This is a dangerous, slippery slope to be on because it leads to misery and self-sabotage. The only thing possible from this perspective is a career destiny of struggle and hardship.

In contrast, embracing the lesson in the mistake will help you to become a more sharp candidate. You commit to never making it again and become all the more vigilant to its appearance. You become a sharper, more focused candidate that improves with every application, every interview. In fact, you can even use the mistake as a potential answer to an interview question! The mistake becomes a source of power, not weakness.

Make a commitment to yourself: from this moment on, cherish your mistakes. See them as the wonderful lessons that they are. Talk about them and what they taught you with pride. Your attitude will improve and you will start to see success creep into your career life much more quickly. Because the candidate who never learns from mistakes is one who lacks true inner-wisdom and insight.

Be bold, dear readers, and fail forward.

Your assignment: On a piece of paper create a two-column chart (like a t-chart). In the left-hand column write "Mistake I Made" and in the right-hand column write "Lesson I Learned." Compile your list of job search mistakes and the corresponding lessons you have learned that will make you a better applicant. Put this chart in a place where you can see to keep yourself both grounded and motivated in your search.