From their press release, Job Action Day “aims to empower workers and job-seekers to take proactive steps to shore up their job and career outlook…”
I call that CAREER MANAGEMENT.
How do you “shore up” anything? Where is all the job security? How does a job seeker compete in this market, when so many talented professionals are getting dumped into the job search market (aka, laid off)?
Is there any hope?
The traditional sources of job security included the sheepskin (which first was a high school diploma, then was a college degree, and then became an MBA… it’s all an illusion now, though), a good employer (like, in the olden days, the railroad, and now perhaps a good state or federal job), a solid work history and credentials, etc.
If any of that provided job security, it certainly didn’t work for me. And I know plenty of people who have done “all the right things” for their career management and enjoyed (tongue-in-cheek) over twelve months of unemployment.
What can YOU do for Job Action Day, to take charge of your own career? Here are some ideas of things to do TODAY (pick one):
- Sign up to receive the JibberJobber One Thing, which is one email per day of something ACTIONABLE to do for your career. We’ve been doing this for a few weeks now and it has been great.
- Do something for your personal brand.
- Do something to grow or nurture your network.
- Do something to quantify your credentials, including starting a job journal or updating your resume.
I’ll leave it at that… if you want more ideas, read through the 30 months of this blog… there are plenty of other ideas. Also, you might be interested in reading what these bloggers write about Job Action Day, with their suggestion(s) on what you could/should do today:
- Alexandra Levit: Alexandra Levit’s Water Cooler Wisdom
- Barbara Safani: CareerSolvers
- Career Manangement Alliance Blog
- Curt Rosengren: The M.A.P. Maker [Meaning Abundance & Passion]
- Darrell Gurney: In The Line of Hire
- Dave Rigotti: Career Fire
- Deborah Brown-Volkman: Surpass Your Dreams
- Diane Danielson: THE WOMEN’SDISH with Diane & Friends
- Jacob Share: JobMob
- Lindsey Pollak: Lindsey Pollak Blog: Career Advice & Commentary
- Louise Fletcher: blueskyresumesblog
- Maggie Mistal: what if…
- Miriam Salpeter: Keppie Careers
- Rich Milgram: EmploymentMetrix.com
- Steven Davies: JobPerfect Job Search Techniques
- Steven Rothberg: CollegeRecruiter.com Blog
- Wendy Terwelp: Rock Your Career
- Willy Franzen: One Day, One Job
Tomorrow you must vote. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain about our federal government for the next 4+ years.
There’s a great book for salespeople called “Get Clients Now.” It’s targeted toward those with a product to sell, but it’s interesting to see that many of the same tips listed in this post are mentioned in the book. Yet another reminder that the job search really IS sales!
Respectfully, I can’t let this slide by. (You brought it up!)
>Tomorrow you must vote.
No, the only thing one must do is what one is compelled to do or that which we have voluntarily agreed to do.
>If you don’t vote, you can’t complain about our federal government for the next 4+ years.
Sure, I can. One vote in the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee makes ZERO difference. My one vote would be overwhelmed by the Democratic graveyard vote from Newark and Camden.
Additionally, by not voting, as HALF the population does NOT do, undermines the legitimacy of the gang with fancy dresses, flags, and GUNS, to legitimacy. How does one incur an obligation that one doesn’t voluntarily agree to take on? See libertarians have different view of these “advance auctions of public goods”. The Presidency pays peanuts; yet, these folks are willing to spend BILLIONS to gain the right to tell others what to do. It’s pure naked aggression.
That having been said: You can go amuse yourselves by that quaint process called “voting”. And, tell me how much these fellows represent your opinions and take actions that benefit “the folks” and the world?
Best thing you can do for your career is to keep a running log detailing the specific successes – and failures – and lessons learned. Review this log at the end of the week and identify a few things to improve upon for the next week.
Don’t let a company manage your career.
Steve, interesting you bring that up as the best thing… there is a Job Journal feature in JibberJobber to do just what you are talking about 🙂