Contract Position: Job to Take in Tight Market

Ever beat yourself up?  I do it all the time.  Not thin enough, pretty enough, young enough, not working in your dream industry - or not working at all ?

I found this article very uplifting, and want to share it with those of you pounding the payment, looking for your dream job: Resume Gaps: How to Minimize the Negative Impact.

For once, I was surprised.  Seems I am doing a couple of things right.  According to the article, Human Resource Directors are more forgiving with gaps in employment.  But here is what they want to see you do in the meantime:

• Take a temporary or contract position -- 79 percent

• Take a class -- 61 percent

• Volunteer -- 60 percent

• Start your own business -- 28 percent

• Start a professional blog -- 11 percent

I am doing two of these things.  I am proud of myself!  You see, it is too easy to "get on myself" for not nabbing my dream job.  I took a temporary (contract) position over two years ago.  Frankly, I never thought it would last two years.  I find myself feeling I am both very lucky and unlucky at the same time.  I am very lucky to be able to have something to do, and to pay my bills.  Unlucky that I am not working in my area of expertise.  I know that the longer I am away from my career, I am loosing that much more ground professionally.   

To compensate, I try to keep up with changes through on-line articles and professional groups.  These are no substitute for being employed in my career, but again, the key is making the effort to stay connected.  This is what your future employer wants to see:

1)  You are doing something to stay busy while you search for the job you want

2)  Trying to stay professionally connected so you stay in the radar professionally

At this point of my life, it looks as though  I may have to move ahead with my own business.    I have come up with an idea worth cultivating.  It is not novel, but it will allow me to do what I love to do (write) and generate income.

In the meantime, I can blog away until my heart is content.

And you know what I like about my blog the best?  I don't have a boss telling me they don't like the content or my writing style.  Because when you write, just like exercising daily, you grow stronger and get better.

What are you doing right?  What has frustrated or inspired you while you sit out the tight job market?