Fighting Discouragement During a Job Search

Posted by & filed under Inspiration.

How can we fight discouragement as we embark on a job search or career transition? Discouragement can be a natural response to pain, setbacks, uncertainty, or loss. Clinical depression, of course, may require professional support and should never be minimized. But all of us face times when we must find a way to keep moving forward despite difficult circumstances.

At one point, I had two surgeries ten days apart, one of them a foot surgery that was supposed to put me out of action for a couple of months. The trouble was that, as a business owner, I could not afford to take that amount of time away from work. So I determined that somehow I would have to hasten, though not compromise, my recovery. After my outpatient surgery, I was taking client calls and appointments on the way home. I found that absorption in my clients’ problems distracted me from my pain. I kept my foot elevated per my doctor’s orders, but as I engaged my mind and focused on the needs of others, I sensed that my discouragement began to subside.

After a weekend of rest, I focused on doing what I do best. Within a week, I was walking and gradually resuming normal activity. So what does this have to do with life?

I think life is 90% attitude and 10% opportunity. “We do what we have to do,” my mom always said. More and more, I realize the profundity of that statement. When we are absorbed in our goals and what has to be done, we may find that we can move beyond discouragement and face obstacles that others might characterize as impossible.

All this can serve as a metaphor for job searching in a tough economy, qualifying ourselves for a position we think is beyond our area of expertise, or taking on a professional or personal challenge. The “we do what we have to do” principle can carry us through what first appears impossible. I remember a number of times in my life when people told me that my aspirations and goals were impossible. In almost every case, they proved to be wrong. Why? Because I am Wonder Woman? Not at all. Because I “did what I had to do” and made things happen because I had no choice.

So whatever you are facing now, drown out the voices that whisper, “Impossible.” Do whatever you can to move toward accomplishing your goal. Believe that you can, that you must, and that persistence can help you move toward what once seemed impossible. Belief is a powerful force. Self-belief is an even more awesome force. Factor in determination and persistence, and you may find the strength to move beyond discouragement and frustrating obstacles into the realm of possibility and accomplishment.

What Makes a Winning Cover Letter?

Posted by & filed under Cover Letters, Resume Writing.

A winning cover letter is our introduction to a prospective employer. It must be rich in content and motivate our reader to want to meet with us. A cover letter can be a successful complement to our résumé. We therefore must give careful attention to how we write it.

Over the years, I have reviewed many cover letters, and I have learned a great deal about what motivates our audience.

The cover letter is more abstract. It focuses on our qualities rather than reiterating our accomplishments. While our résumé is the forum in which we demonstrate, in concrete terms, what we have done and how well we have done it, a well-crafted cover letter shows our reader who we are, what we stand for, why others have appreciated us, and how we can bring value to their organization. It is more about our feelings, our commitment, our drive, and our interests. We might view the cover letter as our theorem and the résumé as our proof. In the cover letter, we tell them why we can be an asset to them. In the résumé, we demonstrate how we have already been an asset and brought value to the organizations we have represented.

The cover letter and résumé should complement each other. If done well, they fit hand in glove and combine to make a powerful impression and impact.

Cover letters must be a call to action. They must motivate our reader to want to know more about us and to engage with us in an interview. Giving our reader insight into our personality, relationship-building skills, and reputation with colleagues and managers is an important hallmark of a winning cover letter. The more our audience knows about us, the more likely they are to interview us. We therefore wish to tactfully acquaint our reader with who we really are and what we are about.

When we create such impressions and impact, we are much more likely to be invited into the interview process. So pay attention to your cover letter content. It can mean the difference between silence and an invitation to interview.

Should You Have a One- or Two-Page Résumé?

Posted by & filed under Resume Writing.

There is much controversy about the one- versus two-page résumé. I recommend a common-sense approach. What will it take to differentiate yourself and demonstrate to your audience how you have brought real-world value to the companies you have represented? If you can do it in one page, that’s great. If you need two pages to present relevant experience and accomplishments effectively, don’t be intimidated by those who insist that every résumé must fit on a single page. The real issue is not arbitrary page count, but whether the content is relevant, compelling, and easy to read.

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