Career: The Endless Job Hunt

I always say to my girls, “Do you want to be a Girl of Action or a Girl of Reaction?” and I can’t help but think that it is time I took my own advice.  My year-long search for a teaching job has yielded leads, interviews, and even movement to the “next level” but I have yet to seal the deal. A teaching job is the golden ring that is just out of my reach.

Rationally, I know that one day I will get a job and that this painful period of frustration will be a fading memory.  I may even, at some future date blog about it -  What to Do While You Wait for Your Real Job to Come Along.  I’m sure my tips will include keep busy, keep looking, and don’t give up.

My trouble is that even though I know what to do it’s difficult to Find the Zen of the Endless Job Hunt. Lately, the only advice I’m embracing is – Keep Treading Water and Don’t Let the Waves of Insecurity Leave Me Awash in a Sea of Despondency.  Or more to the point and much less dramatic - Don’t Drown in Self-pity.  After all, all that gets you is pity – not a job.

Presently, each day starts with the same routine, Check (emails), Search (new leads), Apply  (job openings). What follows should be a virtual tornado of checks on the To Do list. However, the problem is that what really happens next is repeated trips to my laptop.  I am stuck on the Check! Check! Check! of my job hunting routine.  I wonder, has anyone contacted me for an interview, a lead, or, please, please, please, a job offer!  Pathetic. I know and I am ready to move on.

It’s time I asked myself, “Do I want to be a Girl of Action or a Girl of Reaction?”  Well, action, of course! And step one is to exude that confidence that I am not quite feeling.  I start by reminding myself that one day I’m going to be crazy busy in my new job and I’ll think back with longing to those lazy job hunting days. It’s time.  Time to get things done.

So I vow to take advantage of the time I have and start ticking off my To Dos.  I’ll be so busy being a Girl of Action that I’ll only have time to check my email two, three, okay, maximum four times a day.                I promise.