Check out the email I got on Monday:
I found a job! JibberJobber was a TREMENDOUS help. 🙂
This was from a user who discontinued their premium upgrade since they don’t need all the bells and whistles anymore.
THIS MAKES MY DAY. Seriously. I don’t care about the $9.95 upgrade – I’m thrilled that (a) she landed, and (b)… and honestly, this is so secondary to the first point, that she got a ton of value out of JibberJobber.
Now, let me share some thoughts for those who LAND.
First, don’t stop your job search activities.
Your job search stopped, thank goodness, but you should still track:
- Your network contacts. People hate networking because it seems fake and superficial. One reason is because we only network when we need to… I implore you to continue to NURTURE the relationships you developed in your job search. You should have met a lot of people in your job search – keep those relationships up by keeping in touch with them. One great thing to do is to create a short email letting them know you landed and thanking them for their help and well-wishes.
- Your target companies. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it’s likely you’ll be unemployed again in 3 – 5 years. DO NOT lose your list of target companies. You should actually GROW your list of target companies, as you learn of more companies from the perspective of an employed person (think about your employer’s vendors, customers, prospects, etc.). Grow the list and track various info about the companies in JibberJobber.
Second, do what you can do be successful in your next role.
You already knew that, of course. Let me suggest the excellent book by Scot Herrick, owner of CubeRules.com, titled I’ve Landed My Dream Job — Now What??? Scot is a pro in this area and has some awesome ideas and guidance. Get his book and buy a highlighter with it… and keep it on your nightstand. This might be one of the most important books you ever buy.
Third, enjoy and prepare.
Being unemployed SUCKS. You are a fourth class citizen (see my slideshow “I Got Fired“), you have lost your identity, and you’ve had to figure out how to deal with depression in the job search and a whole lot of other things.
Now you can take a deep breath, get back to normal, and move on with your life.
But please think about the next transition. Aside from what I’ve mentioned above, it’s time to take a financial inventory and figure out how you can become less dependent on money.
One reason I was able to start my own business, which was an alternative to finding a job, was because I was in a position financially where I could afford to do that.
Some people will save more, others will prepare to downsize their house and other expenses… I’m not sure what YOUR answer is but think about how you can be prepared financially for another bout of unemployment.
That’s it for this post – to all those who land – CONGRATS. To those who haven’t landed yet, your time will come. Hang in there and do the right things!
Great advice, Jason! As I move through my own transitions this year to start life over with the sole purpose of focusing on my multiple years of career marketing and resume writing experience with much more focus than trying to be all things to all people, I find myself realizing that at the same time I must network even harder. In any role in life, there is no certainty. We must continue to connect, look for viable opportunities, be fiscally wise, and make sound choices.
People who think that getting the job is the end all are often horrified to find out that they need to repeat the whole process in two years or less. Keeping a vibrant network is critical to survival.
I landed a month ago after a long search, but I’ve also ended up in a wonderful position. I will do my best to make it successful but I’ll also stay in contact with my network (with JibberJobber’s help). I’ve actually at the point where I’ve learned to enjoy the process. Thanks Jason for your help to get here.
Thanks, Jason! I don’t think I could have landed this job without JibberJobber’s help. I put a lot of time and effort into my search and JibberJobber helped me to keep my applications straight, to prepare for interviews, and to collect and save information specific to each job I applied for.
Whenever I applied, I copied and pasted the job announcement into JibberJobber so it would be handy if I got a call from a recruiter. I then used the job announcement to prepare answers to potential interview questions. This kept me from forgetting information I need to present and it also kept me from rambling on with irrelevant anecdotes! I used the map feature to determine how far away a particular job was from my home. I had to apply to many places out of state because of the current job market and it was nice to be able to see, at a glance, how far away I would be from my family.
So, yes. I’m very satisfied with JibberJobber. Thank you, very much!
Kimberly Scott