The "me too" Job Seeker

Are you a "me too" Job Seeker? You know, the job seeker who seems to be a carbon copy of the average job seeker. Or the job seeker who tries to match his skills to every single job he applies for - in effect, a shotgun approach. Well, the general rule of thumb is that general résumés generally get tossed. If you have not spent the time to figure out who you are and what you can do better than the average person, then pretty soon you'll just be the average job seeker. And the average job seeker is akin to the "me too" product you find at your local retail store.

Let me backup and explain the "me too" product and how it came to be. The "me too" product has always been around since mankind began making tools and crafts. It's the product that tries to imitate a quality, original, or innovative product but falls short everytime. You ever wonder where the expression "The Real McCoy" came from? Well, Elijah McCoy, the African-Canadian inventor educated in Scotland, made a successful machine for lubricating engines which spawned many copies, all inferior to the original. Be the "The Real McCoy"! The "me too" product has a place in society if you are a consumer shopping for a product and you don't want to spend a lot of money. And so the same is true for the BIG Consumer that you are seeking to "buy" you - the HIRING Company!

If a company is in this hiring mode, then being a "me too" job seeker is the worse thing you could be. Why? There is virtually no way to distinguish yourself from your competition. It's a race to the bottom of the payscale and job responsibility. There will never be a "me too" Barack Obama. Or a "me too" Nelson Mandela. Or even a "me too" Michael Jordan". Why? Because those people have established a brand that clearly communicates who they are and what they have done (or continue to do). They are "The Real McCoys". You don't "buy" a Rolex because of the price tag, you buy it because of the brand image and lifestyle you want to project. So people will spend their money if they believe in the perceived benefits of having a high-priced product. And what are companies made of? People! So when people are making the hiring decision, you can always positively influence the outcome if, and only if, you are able to clearly communicate what they will gain by hiring you.

The same is true for you too, my dear "me too" job seeker. For I wish not to see you sit on the shelf at the retail store hoping and praying that some cost-conscious company will pick up your dusty carcass and take you to the cashier for checkout. No, no, no. It really does not have to be like this. Spend some time talking with people who know you. Everything starts with talking to people. You will never know what you are good at or what you can be good at if you don't talk to others. Once you get a sense of what you are good at, look for ways to apply that to a business in a way that is unique to your personality and style. As you go through this process, you will slowly begin to build your "career brand".

Now, if you think this process is a 2-week process then you are sadly mistaken. It takes months and years for people to craft a "career brand". Do you think Coca-Cola established their brand in 2-weeks? Companies have to invest time and resources to develop their products into trusted and established brands. So stop being a "me too" job seeker who only seeks to imitate the competition. Be like Apple and Google and "out-innovate" the competition! You'll be more creative and you'll stand out in a crowded marketplace full of "me too" job seekers.

The Negative Influencer

Do you ever find yourself around people who seem to find the flaws and faults (according to their own sense of what should/shouldn't be) in everything they do? You know, the person that will complain more about the iPhone's lack of a "real" camera instead of all the other 1000 cool features and benefits of having an iPhone. The person who will complain that the seats at the theater are too uncomfortable instead of enjoying an entertaining performance. The person who will complain about everything that is going wrong in their job search instead of finding new and creative ways to sell their value added to potential employers. You get the point.

Well, this is the Negative Influencer. This is the person that will make even the most well-intentioned activity or event into an unpleasant evening for everyone. The person for whom the world is always dark and everyone is against him. This person will seek to bring down even the happiest of moods. Instead of rallying the troops to complete a challenging task, this person will complain about why the task must be done at all? Where others see value, this person will see waste. Where others see benefits, this person will see cost. You get the point.

So what do you do if this person is in your midst? Run!!! Seriously though...run!!! It's virtually impossible to motivate a Negative Influencer but they have the power to "demotivate" you!! Their very words, actions, and body language exude negativity! Why would you want someone like that to be part of your inner circle? Especially now when you need all the Positive Influence you can get! Your career search should be your main focus as you seek fulltime employment. Don't let anyone keep you from doing and being your best!

So, what do you do when you see a Negative Influencer? Run!! Run!! Run!! And what do you do if the Negative Influencer is YOU!! Sometimes you can be your own worst enemy. Always focusing on the things you can't control instead of things you can control. Always focusing on the advantages others seem to have instead of the advantages you have. Again, you get the point. If you find that you seem to be saying more negative things about yourself and your situation than positive things, seek the comfort of close friends and family for reassurance! You'll be amazed at what a hug or a quick pep talk can do for your spirit. Sometimes you just need for someone to remind you of your glory days! And if you never had any "glory" days, now is the time to begin creating them!

Who will you blame??!!

The job market is lousy! Or is it just your attitude that's lousy? I tend to focus on what the individual can do to alleviate his/her circumstances. Why? Because none of us can control external factors such as political upheaval, war, famine, bad weather, etc. So if you find yourself complaining each day about how lousy the job market is and how no companies will call you back, you are actually working against yourself!

I'll explain. You see, the problem is that we have all become a blame society. When something goes wrong in our lives (personal or professional) we seek to blame situations, circumstances, or people. While it is true, there are factors that affect our success in any given moment, focusing your energy on the blame game certainly won't help your cause. Why not reassess what is going wrong with your career search? Why not seek the advice of trusted companions? Why not take on the challenge to reinvent yourself and try something outside your comfort zone?

No, I guess that actually takes work! But wait a minute, are you not seeking "work"??!! How bad that would be if you are seeking work but you don't want to put in the "work" required to obtain work! That is not a good reflection upon you and most companies will not want that type of behavior within their ranks.

So once again I say, who will you blame? When times are bad and the seas are rough - who will you blame? When you don't get an interview after several weeks - who will you blame? When you continue to follow the same methods and same path with the same results - who will you blame?

Blame YOURSELF!! And then get off your butt and take action and do something to change your behavior and attitude. Ask your friends, family, former co-workers, etc., to give you a reality check and help you with your career search approach. This humility will take you a lot further and you may find that people are more willing to help you when they see that you recognize your career-limiting flaws.

It's so easy to blame others for our failures or lack of success. It takes virtually no energy!! You just point fingers and whisper under your breath and complain all day. Who would want to be around you if you're like that?? Certainly not the people who are making hiring decisions.

Account and Accountability!

Well, I was exercising at the gym tonight and thinking the entire time about accountability. And so I began to take into account all of the things I wanted to accomplish this month. And then I began to think about the various definitions for the word "account" and how powerful a word it is. There are several definitions of the word "account" but I'd like to share with you the definition below found at http://www.thefreedictionary.com/account.

Account

1. A narrative or record of events.

2.

a. A reason given for a particular action or event: What is the account for this loss?

b. A report relating to one's conduct: gave a satisfactory account of herself.

c. A basis or ground: no reason to worry on that account.

Why do I share this with you and what does it mean for your career? If you want to achieve your career goals, it is imperative that you take account of yourself! You also need to account for the actions you take (or don't take!) towards the pursuit of your career goals.

When you begin to take account for your actions, you take ownership and responsibility. And then you are accountable for those actions. Meaning the success or lack of success in reaching your desired career goals has a direct correlation of how well you account for your actions and make yourself accountable for the results (or lack thereof!).

This is not rocket science but it is something that is difficult for many people. We all understand the phrase "Sense and Sensibility". It's a no-brainer! So now just add one more phrase to your toolkit - "Account and Accountability" - and you're on your way. Repeat this mantra several times a day and I guarantee that soon your daily actions will be transformed into meaningful, goal-driven activities.