Life is chaos at the best of times. Issues like employment, money, relationships, illness and/or tragedy can put anyone’s life into a tailspin. Yet the bills keep coming in. Your responsibilities don’t stop. Life just keeps moving forward.

Losing my company/job in the late 90′s I found myself at 40+ years old without a lot of career options. I was an emotional wreck. Bills were piling high. Cars repossessed. House payments were behind. Finally it ended with bankruptcy and some major loss of pride. Times I can’t look back at and laugh about unfortunately.

I needed to do something positive in a very non-positive time of my life. There were so many things to fix I didn’t even know where to start. Then it hit me… I need to focus.

It was time to get a job.
I worked all day, every day, trying to find employment. I literally had a stack of turn down cards/letters from HR departments all over the state, and some out of state. Each time calling them and asking why I wasn’t chosen. I would study resume strategies, cover letters, and practice answering interview questions making changes as necessary. I networked with everyone I knew. I stayed the course and stayed focused even after six months of no success. I did finally get an interview and a job which turned into a great career.

What did I learn from all this?
Staying focused is a key ingredient to success in any endeavor. Not with blinders on. I had to make a lot of adjustments to finally be successful. But the end game was always in my mind. So many times there were other “pressing” issues to distract me from my goal. Having faith in myself was critical. I made a conscience decision to change my life and to succeed. I could have given up. Blamed everyone else for my problems. Many do that very thing. I couldn’t live with that. In the midst of turmoil I knew I wanted more.

14 Things to do.

Don’t mistake unemployment for a vacation.
Get your resume in order.
Cover Letter: Add a suggestion of something you could do to help with their company.
Practice talking about yourself with everyone. Read some possible interview questions and their answers.
A completed Linkedin Profile is a must.
Network, network, network… Sow seeds everywhere.
Network inside the company you’re looking at. Always try to have someone inside the company working for you if possible.
Learn about the company so you don’t look ignorant.
Learn about the company’s competitors.
Don’t be afraid to show up at the company you want to work for without an appointment.
Dress appropriately for the company interested in anytime you’re in front of them.
Be on time for the interview, don’t be negative about past employers, and have a couple of questions for the interviewer.
Send a handwritten thank you note whether you received the job or not. If not call and ask why not.
Take control of your career: Focus on what you want from a career and not just trying to get a job.

Don’t give up.
Work each day towards a specific goal. Stay focused no matter how unfocused your situation and surroundings are.  I promise you’ll be glad you did.

Copyright © 2010 Chris Lott and Lottspace. All rights reserved.

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