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It’s been a long year for most of us in the world. Living during a pandemic is tough. I’ve spent a lot of this time (more since March for sure) trying to remind myself that there are going to be lessons in this. Reminding myself to slow down, watch for the lessons and making sure I am giving them the great thought such simplicity deserves. I saw this quote this morning and it once again reminded me to slow down and look for the simplicity in it all.
I've had so many conversations with friends and colleagues about the power of slowing down to go fast over the years. With the same mindset and thought, I've also had discussions recently about why we are so driven to move fast. Why do we feel guilt when when we slow down? Why do we push ourselves to the point of almost breaking?
There are many reasons that could be said for these questions. For me, I am trying to focus less on amount of output and more on simplicity and the quality that comes with it. It's a back to the basics mentality that seems to be a "go to" for me when I need to refocus or recenter my thoughts, life, actions, etc.
WHY DO I WAIT TO LIVE IN THIS SIMPLICITY AND QUALITY VS QUANTITY FOR MOMENTS OF NEED? WHY WAIT FOR A NEEDED MOMENT OR TIME TO BE RE-CENTERED OR FOCUSED?
Socrates said, "KNOW THYSELF". Think about that. I sure have. I have been marinating in this for a while now.
What is it like to be a job seeker during a pandemic in 2020? It's like trying to pick a lock and you have no tools (oh and you've never picked a lock before).
WHAT HAVE I LEARNED & WHAT DO I KNOW?
I'VE STARTED A LIST (A SMALL VERSION OF THE BIG LIST) MAYBE IT
WILL HELP YOU AS WELL:
Being a job seeker is a full-time job
It’s okay to take breaks (just don’t forget to start again)
Self-Comparison is a Liar and a Thief of Confidence & Joy - no one’s journey is the same – stop it
Writing lists has helped me stay focused and organized
Making sure to have 3-5 meaningful interactions with others in my field each week has been instrumental in keeping me motivated and on track (I’ve averaged 5-7 a week but 3-5 is perfect to start)
Set small obtainable goals and obtain them.
I have asked for advice. I have asked for help. Getting over myself and being willing to be the student has made a huge impact in my job search and approach. We all cannot know everything, and we all have different points of perspective. Ask trusted colleagues and those in your industry and outside of it to look at your resume, to review your cover letter, to sit with you (virtually works!) and discuss what’s on your mind or your methods in general.
Yoga & Meditation have helped me find my simplicity. Try it. You may like it.
Be willing and open to accept and put into action the feedback and advice you receive. Sometimes it’s new information and sometimes it’s old information that you forgot about. Be humble and be grateful for those that are willing to give you the time.
Less is more. With the right information on your resume or your online profiles, less can be more. Don’t forget to save old drafts. It’s nice to see the evolution of your resumes and online profiles. You never know if you will need something later.
I’ve stayed open and willing to help others. But not to my own detriment. I’m learning to say NO. You should too.
The time-frame I thought it would take to find a job and start that job vs. what is reality are two separate things. I've had to let go of time frames (back to that making smaller obtainable goals to move forward). This makes me think of the song, Let It Be.
Socrates also said, "WISDOM BEGINS WITH WONDER".
I hope you take a moment to look at your own hustle, your own pace, and your situation today. Take some time to wonder. Take some time to evaluate where you are. There is no specific pace or speed. There is no specific amount of work or lack of work that is measuring your success fully (do you realize this?). It's person by person and case by case. I challenge you whether you're a job seeker or not - take a look at your pace. Think on it. Where should you be focusing? Should you be giving such attention to everything on your plate? Is your plate overflowing? Could you take on something new? Should you throw the whole plate out and start with a new plate? Are you taking care of yourself?
I know myself. I know I can be impatient and can take on way too much at a time. I've had to accept these things in order to develop patience with myself and in that, I've been able to say, NO. I've been able to slow down. There is definitely something to be said about focusing and swimming in simplicity.
Something I've been saying over and over this year, LETS GO BACK TO THE BASICS.
Whether it was taking March and April to retrain/refocus my recruiting team by going back to the basics in what we do or now in my own job search. I've been working to un-complicate it all and map it out for others and for myself in bite size pieces. When I think about that quote above, "There is Wisdom in Simplicity", I think of this. I think of pealing back all the layers and forgetting about what I think it should be. Let's look at this (life & job search) with fresh eyes. Eyes with wisdom that are willing to be the student. That are willing to be the teacher. That are willing to swim in that simplicity and let the core basics guide me (guide us) to continued greatness and success.
More to come later this month on specific job search and self promoting job-seeker techniques that I have used. Things that have worked and things that have not. If you take anything from this blog today, I hope it's that it's okay to slow down and that there is power in going back to the basics. Find your simplicity.