Circles can be a positive approach to your job search
➔ Pity the poor circle. There are so many negative connotations heaped upon the poor circle.
“He’s going in circles.” This is typically applied to someone who is going and going, and yet getting nowhere. When you’re going in circles, some people refer to you as someone who is “chasing his own tail.” Again, lots of activity with little results.
While all that can be applied to job seeking, there are times when circles can be an excellent job search strategy. Think about: the concentric circle.
Round and Around and Around
The concept of the concentric can be applied to the type of job for which you’re looking, or the skills set in which you’re strongest. Think: focus. You’re “zeroed in” on finding something which you’ve done in the past, or something at which you’ve excelled in the past.
Unfortunately, you can’t be expected to find something that targeted. If that’s the case, you expand your circle of skills to include some related activities. It may be your ideal, but it’s definitely something you can do, and do well.
The same idea can be applied to work geography. Maybe your ideal is to find something within five miles of your home. Great, if you can do it. Most people, however, aren’t that fortunate. So what do you do? You start looking for employers who are ten miles from home. And then, 15. And then, 20.
In either case, how far out you expand your circles depends almost entirely on you. What you’re comfortable with. What you’re willing to settle for. How your hometown job market is performing.
While we don’t always get what we want, by expanding your search, you never know just what you might find.
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