Unfortunately, job seeking is anything but a science
| We’re always told to “trust the science.” If you’re talking biology, chemistry or physics – and the like – that’s certainly true. But there are many other areas of life that are not science. Some are art and some exist in a world all their own.
While we would hesitate to classify job seeking as an art, we’re pretty confident in saying that it’s definitely not a science. Science is a slave to the laws of the universe. Art is based primarily on emotion and, although a job search can be very emotional at times, art it is not.
So what is job seeking?
If it’s not science and it’s not art, just what is job seeking? The simple answer, the gut reaction, is to say that it’s a pain in the tuchus. No argument there.
Unfortunately that’s not much comfort anyone who is in the midst of a job search. There is so much information and opinion out there on job seeking, who and what are you to believe?
Even in our own little Nifty-sphere, we’ve been known to pass along conflicting advice from people all with strong pedigrees on the job search process. We’ve even published conflicting opinions on the same day.
The key word there is opinion. Everyone has an opinion on job seeking – because, at one time or another, virtually everyone out there has been a job seeker. To some degree, they all know of what they speak.
The hardest nut to crack typically centers on the job, the industry and the company. Of course, even the “times” are a factor as well. There are “hot” job markets; there are “cold” job markets. There are times when the job seeker has the upper hand; there are times when the employers hold all the cards.
As much of an individual as you are, that’s how unique and personalized a job search is. What worked for your neighbor or brother-in-law, may not work for you – and vice versa.
As much as you may not want to hear it, you have to follow your gut. Trust your instincts. If a job sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Just when you’re about to throw in the towel to flip burgers at a fast food joint, that’s when the phone will ring.
It’s not science. It’s not art. It’s not fun. But it’s something that you have to do.
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