Which is more important, learning and doing career management, or learning and doing the job search?
One is a fix to hopefully a temporary problem.
The other is a long process to work on a long problem.
You’ve heard the whole give a person a fish thing, as if giving a man a person is not nearly as good as teaching him how to fish.
But what if the man needs the nutrition RIGHT NOW? What if teaching the person will take too long?
Have you ever swam down to the bottom of the pool, and on your way back up looked towards the surface and thought “Oh my, I don’t know if I can make it the last few feet?” I’ve done that (more than once). It’s a scary, scary feeling. No matter what had been worrying you, at that very moment, the only thing you can think of is getting that life-saving breath. Oxygen, freedom, living. That’s all that is on your mind.
You certainly aren’t thinking “I think I should start learning some swim strokes,” or “I should start practicing my breath-holding techniques.”
This is the difference between job search and career management. Once solves an immediate need (income) the other solves a long-term issue (preparation and strength and knowledge). Both are important. Both have their proper time.
Make sure you are doing the right things for you right now.
Make sure that once you catch your breath, and get your income, you seriously get into career management. That is what our mission is.
When we first launched we said JibberJobber was a job search tool. That lasted about 30 hours… I quickly realized that we could not be a job search tool. We were a long-term, life-long career management tool.
I’ve seen people who do career management go through job search. It is quick, exciting, and relatively painless. On the other hand, people who are have neglected career management have a painful, scary, fear-driven, and long job search.
You can do this, not just now, but for the rest of your career!