Transitions

Happy spring everyone!!!

Well, I had the full intention of staying super current with my blog...then life happened!

Tons of kid stuff from sports to doctor and dentist and orthodontist appointments to piano lessons, trips to Quebec (my amazing 7th grade son), trips to the Headlands (my equally amazing 5th grade daughter), spring concerts, resume reviews galore, reports, meetings, visits to my mother-in-law, academic politics (it's true!), career fairs that work and those that go poof overnight, LinkedIn, Facebook, speaking events, student crisis moments (choosing majors), more resume reviews, kitchen remodel (granite in this week, cabinets are done...but heaven only knows the paint color we will choose)...Mark is in major networking and job search phase but with no solid luck yet (of the paying variety)...he has had the great fortune to reconnect with colleagues and friends and to really think about what he wants to do. he knows that he may not get the "dream" job this time around but realizes that this "gift" of time is valuable in and of itself. hey, and just maybe that really cool job is just around the corner...did I mention resume edits?

I also lost a friend and mentor this month. Shirley Weishaar hired me into Mills College and was always a support system and role model. Shirley walked away from her long and amazing struggle with cancer just over one week ago. I say she walked away because simple cancer could never win anything against Shirley. Her body was tired and she felt it was time to see what was on the other side. In her passing, she again teaches me about strength, focus and how to use my gift of life to leave a legacy.

So...transitions happen, in all moments and each and everyday. Some are small, some are momentous. As long as we are here, however, it is our "job" to get up each day and keep moving forward.

A job search in the best of times can be soul crushing...and in this economy, it can be worse (believe it or not). This means that you need to create and feed a support system of friends, colleagues and family to help you along the way; and you can return the favor.

You must also take responsibility for helping yourself. The jobs are not out there with your name on them. No matter what fancy school you attended or how many letters follow your name, you are going to have to put the time in to get the job you want.

Did I also mention, you need to actually leave the room! A job search is never complete if it is only conducted online. There is more to getting a job than answering postings (a passive approach for sure!) and all the research in the world will not convince someone to hire you. I cannot underscore enough just how much you need to get out and connect. You must be seen and heard...you must network in your field. The return will not be overnight but I guarantee that you will see results. The jobs are always there but they are often "hidden"...and even more so now. To network is to take a chance on yourself, to believe in yourself. This can be the key to getting someone to take a chance on you!

Leave the room! It is spring and you are in charge of your future.