All I Want for Christmas..

There is one good thing about not working this time of the year.  The Holidays.  I am loving being able to loose myself in joy watching Animal Planet every day.  Heart-warming stories about wolves, learning about dogs on "Dogs 101."  Following my morning cup of coffee (or two, or three), I check my email and job sites for my 2 to 3 hour quiet time for allocated for job searching. 

I do feel it is an exercise in futility as I think of the hundreds of people applying for the same jobs.  Nevertheless, I carry on.  I recently read that many people have given up job searching and stopped completely.  I cannot afford that luxury. 

I have not been as diligent as I need to be.  I am affiliated with many professional clubs and organizations.  I should be networking at monthly meetings.  I am told this is one of the best ways to get an inside track on the job market.

I am not an ordinary job seeker.  While highly sociable, and can work equally well on my own or within a team, I have to work in an affable environment.  Corporate politics make me ill at ease.  I am not a confrontational person.  It takes quite a lot to get me upset. I choose to focus on tasks at hand and getting them done, rather that figuring out how to brown nose supervisors in the workplace.

Which leads me to an important observation about myself:  I need to interview my prospective employer jast as closely as they are interviewing me.

Most  think we have to interview perfectly, and hope our talents match the employer's needs.  While important, we need to find a compatible company with which to hang our hats.

I have had scores of jobs where once the honeymoon period is over, I found that the once exciting job is now being mircromanaged by panicky, unflexible managers.  Business is all bottom-line contribution in this market, true;  but what about emotional and practical support for new hires?  I don't know about you, but I have found this almost impossible to find in the workplace.

When I find my future job, I am going to ask the important questions:  How will my performance will be evaluated?  During the first three months of my evaluation, what kind of support can I expect?  Is there a "go-to" person I can approach for questions? Most employers expect one to "hit the ground running."  I believe we have to be realistic about those first three months' that we are being closely evaluated.  I plan to ask if there is any hands-on training during this period as far as company expectations in learning the corporate platforms.

I want to ensure that I am performing up to company expectations. I have also found that it is best to never over-estimate my capabilities, and tell my furture employer upfront what they can expect of me in the way of technical skills, and my approach to task and project management.

Now, back to navigating employment sites and exploring links, links and more links!