One of the guilty pleasures I have allowed myself during job search, is catching up on my favorite series, 24. I have always been impressed with the inner strength of the main character, Jack Bauer, however one scene in episode one of season 8, drew my attention. 

Jack Bauer was facing a Senate committee as a result of actions he took in earlier seasons.  His career was in ruins and jail time was a strong possibility. Despite these potential outcomes, he expressed an amazing level of self-confidence as he answered questions posed by the committee.  For those of you who do not watch 24, you may recall the confidence that Oliver North showed when he was questioned about his actions. In both the fictional incident with Jack Bauer and the actual one with Oliver North, self-confidence and inner strength were critical, positive attributes.

Thinking back on my career, I realized the main reason I have been successful was due to the belief I had in my own actions. I was never afraid to face management, even when my view was contrary to theirs.  I was often told that a decision contrary to managements’ would put my future at risk.   I remember how I would respond: “The bottom line is that, at the end of the day, I have to live with myself.  If I go along with a bad decision, I have only myself to blame; I have the power to prevent potential problems only if I take a stand.”

It did not take me long to realize that I also have to manage my job search in a manner that reflects a high level of strength and self-confidence.  True, the worst that could happen is that I am not chosen for the position; however, projecting that same inner confidence of Jack Bauer or Oliver North is a critical asset.  Being in job search and waiting for the phone to ring is the number one thief of self-confidence.

Here are some steps I have taken:

1): Realize that this project will take time. Think of what you are doing as a game of Monopoly.  In Monopoly, you are spending a great deal of money up front, with little or no return. Job search is similar; you will find that you are spending much time networking, updating your resume, going to job fairs, and getting your message out. Remember that, in Monopoly, you start earning your major income after you have purchased your properties and put up houses and hotels (you have got to love it when an opposing player lands on your Boardwalk property and you have a hotel!).

2): Keep a “goody box” of all the positive things you have done in your career. Here is a personal example.  In one of my previous jobs there was a Vice President who loved to catch people off guard.  He called me into a meeting on a Friday, at precisely 5PM to discuss a business decision I made earlier in the week. I knew this would happen so I prepared accordingly. Despite the short notice, I made an excellent presentation regarding my business decision.  Hearing another senior official in the meeting saying “he’s absolutely right” made the extra time in the office worthwhile.  This is just one of many examples.

3): Focus on the positive. When I was searching for a job in the 1990’s I remember anxiously waiting for the Sunday paper. Prior to the internet, the greatest number of opportunities were in the Sunday paper.  Prior to the internet, unless you were an expert at cold calls, you would live and die by the want ads in the Sunday paper.  A small want ad section meant that your job search would be non-existent for that week.  The internet has made networking much easier.  In addition, there are new postings on any given internet job site on a daily basis.  So in the 21^st century, you no longer have to wait for the Sunday paper.

4):If you find yourself becoming a “Mr. Mom”, run your household as if you were running your business. There are many articles that can be found on treating your search as if it were your regular job, however, you can apply those same principles to running a household if you are in that situation. Ask yourself, what household functions are open to a quantitative analysis? What can be put on a spreadsheet? Where can a database such as Microsoft Access be helpful? If you are not fortunate enough to have Microsoft Office at home, use OpenOffice, which is available for free at www.openoffice.org.  

5): I would be remiss if I did not mention two pieces of advise I received from my former co-workers. The first is one that has been stated before but bears repeating: “Never give up”! As I stated last week, One of my opportunities came eight months after the company identified the need for the position. Finally, “Never sell yourself short.” Even if you have to take a short-term position to make ends meet please do not lose sight of your larger objective. I am sure it will be worth the wait.

Good hunting!

-By Howard K. Young, Contributing Writer & Member of The 405 Club.

View all of Howard’s posts here.