| Anyone can find a job. That’s
right, I said “anyone”. And I meant it. But the caveat is: I didn’t
say what kind of job. You can go out and start flipping burgers, and whine
about the tough breaks life handed you when your company down-sized, or
you can reach higher, and go for that job you really want, and know you
have the experience and enthusiasm for.
Reaching higher means being on your toes,
in every sense of the words. You’ll have to stretch yourself too- make
that extra effort to overcome the obstacles in your way. Nobody said
getting the right job would be easy. But it’s there, waiting, if
you’re willing to reach.
To show you what we mean, I’m going to
give you an example of one executive’s ego-crushing layoff. Down but not
out, this man took personal circumstances that could have held him back,
and built on them so that he stood on a solid foundation and put that
perfect job within his reach.
Sean Davidson* was a senior level marketing
manager. His company was downsizing, and in a performance review, it was
felt that Sean was the staff member in that type of position that they
could most do without. What followed was eight months of frustration, and
confidence testing, as he attended job fairs, network events, and searched
Internet employment sites. Then he landed an interview for a job that not
only matched his skill set, but which he wanted badly. How did he overcome
the negativity of his layoff?
When asked about the gap in his employment,
Sean took the initiative and spoke about strategic mistakes he had made in
his last position, and how the slow growth in their industry, had led to a
decision to lay off staff. He then went on to talk about new growth areas
and the how a company can make the most of the opportunities offered, and
increase their market share. His explanation and proposals, not only
showed his awareness of current market conditions, but also displayed his
business competency.
He had turned the focus of the question
from why he was laid off, to showing what he had learned from the business
conditions that caused it, and how he could help the interviewing company
to improve their position. And he got the job!
*Names changed to protect confidentiality |
