A Happy New Year Indeed!

Tonight, champagne bottles will be popping, people will be singing “Auld Lang Syne” everywhere, and hugs and kisses will be plentiful – all of this to bring in the new year and move past the old one.  Many people are eagerly stepping out of 2009 because it was a tough year, while others will be sad to see it leave.

If job loss was one of the life experiences you had in 2009, then you’re probably happy to wave good-bye.  We all know the loss of a job can have a devastating effect on individuals, families, finances, health (physical and mental), communities, etc.  Unfortunately, some of the weight of the stress can begin to manifest in the job seeker, which can be detected by employers when they talk with you or meet with you.

If you think this is you and you’re not sure how to get out of your “funk,” rest assured that all is not lost.  Here are a few quick steps you can follow to help you press forward in a positive state of mind:

1. Do not make a New Year’s resolution.  Most people who make them also break them within the first few weeks.  This will only add to your frustration so avoid this trap.
2. Take time to review the good things that happened to/for you in 2009 and write them down.  No matter how crummy the year may have been, good things always happen in the midst of the bad.  Did you make a wonderful friend?  How about finally losing those pesky 10 lbs?  Or, did you finally conquer your fear of public speaking?  If nothing else, you are still here.  That is certainly something to celebrate!
3. Read your good things list out loud to yourself.  Faith comes by hearing.  If you hear yourself speak of the positive, you’ll be amazed at how it will affect your outlook.
4. Know that IT WILL GET BETTER.  Life is cyclical.  Anything that goes down always comes back up.  Life doesn’t rain forever!
5. Now, revisit your job search game plan.  Once your mood picks up, take time to revisit (or create!) your job search plan for 2010.  Watch how your energy begins to return and the ideas begin to flow.  With your new attitude, you’ll approach your search with the positive energy we recruiters love to see.  Remember, some of what we look for is a candidate’s attitude in the face of adversity, so show me your smile.

By the way, Happy New Year! 

Until next time….

Hello world!

Even though “Hello world!” is the template title of the first post for everyone who creates a new blog on www.wordpress.com, I still thought it would be a good way for me to greet all of you (okay, so there is no “all of you” right now; I’m hoping this will change).

While I’m new to blogging and still have a few adjustments to make to this blog, I’m certainly not new to recruiting.  As a result of this horrible recession we’re in, I’ve encountered more people than usual who have lost jobs and are looking for ways to get their “foot in the door” of the right employer.

When the roosters came home and settled in my backyard, yet I still found a job within weeks, I realized there was something I should be sharing with the world.  So here I am, launching my first blog post and finalizing plans to begin my career navigating and job search consulting business.  I’m going to keep my day job (hey, I have bills to pay!), but my business and blog will be the outlets I use to share what I have been blessed to learn.

I’m looking forward to this journey, and I hope you join me on it.

Until next time….