I love Gail Collins, Charles Blow, Frank Bruni, Paul Krugman, Nicholas Kristoff, Brett Stephens, Tom Friedman, the Editorial Board, the sports section, Arts and Leisure, Real Estate; I could go on. You get the point. Mostly, I admire the integrity of the paper. And that it’s so well written.
But.
There has been a too-frequent gap in quality when it comes to career/employment reporting. This usually happens at the worst possible times – in times of economic dislocation, unemployment, and fear. I’ve personally witnessed these gaps during the 1982 recession, the 1987 stock market crash, the 1991 real estate crash, the 2000 dotcom crash, the 2008/9 economic meltdown, and now, the 2020 pandemic.
Mostly, The Times has reacted with what I think of as hysteria when it comes to employment issues. Frequently inaccurate, misleading, and damaging. The latest was a major front page piece a few days ago, in which the reporter did what many have done in the past – cherrypicked a few people who have had a rough time during the past couple of months, and then globalized those experiences. The conclusions drawn, basically that everything is melting down for everyone, are simply not true. It’s not the case that it’s impossible get or keep a job across the board, or that people are not able to get interviews, let alone jobs, to name a few of the negative conclusions presented.
I remember vividly, in 2008/9, several Times articles repeatedly saying that if people were out of work for long periods of time it would be nearly impossible for them to get a new job, and that they were somehow permanently stigmatized. The only word that comes to mind when I read such pieces is… nonsense. A well-prepared, positive, and non-defensive explanation regarding those time periods is what job seekers need. I’ve rarely met anyone who’s encountered this as a major stumbling block when they’re well-prepared with a response to questions about the period of unemployment. This whole negative way of thinking about periods of unemployment strikes me as very 1950’s.
Yes, there are certain professional areas that have become catastrophic recently, especially hospitality/tourism. And a few others. I recently had a client in a group who announced that he couldn’t possibly find any job in his discipline (hospitality) and at his level (very senior). By the end of the group meetings, he realized that there were alternatives in which he could utilize his considerable skills and experience. There were even alternatives for investment bankers in 2008! But, if those people paid too much attention to The Times’ estimate of their chances, they might have given up.
These articles, because of the trust so many readers have in The Times, can easily derail a search – and have. After all, The Times said so! Unfortunately, the material in these articles is so frequently inaccurate. I have rarely met in my private, corporate, or business school practices any client for whom there wasn’t a solution to a difficult employment period.
The big difference in technique this time is the ability to intelligently use Zoom/Skype/FaceTime as a primary interaction method.
As a matter of fact, I think that this moment is an ideal time to be doing a search. Maybe a combination of “don’t let a crisis go to waste” and get ahead of the competition. Since others believe that there are no jobs available, they drop out. The proactive job seekers see opportunity when others disappear from the market. They can see that chances increase, that it’s easier to get networking meetings, and that in fact there might be less competition for available jobs (but certainly not through postings).
Many of my clients have done well during this period, often landing new situations by never having physically met anyone at their new jobs – and starting the jobs the same way, virtually. They do have one major thing in common, which is that all the bad and frightening news of the past few months has not changed their drive to get the new job. They’ve adjusted to changing markets, changing emphases in their professional areas, and new virtual search techniques.
I’m not saying you should ignore articles in The Times about career transition. Just be careful to not believe everything you read. Read elsewhere, too. Actually, I’ll take this opportunity to suggest you might want to carefully read articles on a daily basis on LinkedIn! You’ll get better information, in general, from people who are directly engaged in career management, and from other news sources as well.
Time to get going!
Why See a Career Advisor?
For the past year, since the publication of In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies That Work, I’ve been answering readers’ questions on the Ask Ellis pages of the book website. There are some questions I’m asked so frequently, I wanted to choose one of the most popular, and the answer, here.
Question: I'm out of work and short on funds. Is it worth spending the money to see a career advisor?
Dear Ellis,
I've been out of work for six months. I've always been good (successful!) at search, and have been resourceful enough to figure out the best techniques. Yet, something's not working this time. I've been told over and over that I should find a good career advisor to help me, but I hate spending the money during this time when I don’t have much to spend, and don't quite know what to expect from an advisor.
John R.
Answer: You’ll gain perspective and a whole lot more
Dear John,
This one is always a bit uncomfortable to answer, because it's tough to avoid appearing self-serving. Obviously, I think seeing an advisor is a great way to help you get through this difficult time--otherwise, I would've chosen a different career myself. (Sometimes, though, there have been times when I have told prospective clients that they might benefit more from consulting with professionals in another field.)
Okay, that's out of the way, and I'll be as objective as possible.
My major reason for suggesting a career advisor is about the emotional aspects--search is isolating. You've been separated from your routine, from a part of your identity, and from people you may have liked. Left on your own, you ruminate. You try to interpret every aspect of the search, for example:
- Why is this person not calling back?
- Why isn't my resume working the way resumes should?
- Why is it five days since they said they'd call and they had promised three?
- Have I made the right choice in what I'm seeking?
- Maybe it's time for a radical change?
- And, my favorite: Why are so many people so incredibly rude during this process? In the last interview, they told me I was the lead candidate! And I’ve been unable to contact them again. Total radio silence.
You go round and round in these thoughts (and so many others), don't get anywhere, and start to over-think every aspect. Some people end up reworking their resumes 10 or 12 times, almost always a serious waste of energy. Sometimes, the result of all the rumination is to make bad career decisions, just to avoid the anxiety of the process itself.
If you have a significant other or family or both, that will probably add to the stress, no matter how supportive friends and family may be. After all, if there’s a significant other, for example, that person is just as stressed about the situation as you are. Maybe more.
What's lacking here is perspective, and I think that's where the experienced listener and advisor play a most critical role. It always amazes me that at the end of a successful client experience, one of the comments I have heard the most over the years is--"You really understood what I was going through."
The comments are not usually about the technical aspects of the transition, even if we spent several meetings reviewing networking, resume, and all the rest.
An experienced consultant will be knowledgeable about the (over-hyped) significance of resumes, will help with decisions about appropriate targets, will work with interview presentation and content, will teach the value of high-touch relationship building, and, I hope, will understand and show the value of social media and social intelligence in the process.
As for the money--if it helps you, it's worth it. Don’t think about the immediate cost; it’s all about the big picture and achieving the desired overall result. Another perspective is that it’s an investment--in you.
Ellis
For a quick course on networking, pick up my Ebook, Networking: How to Make the Connections You Need
If you're looking for more in-depth advice on your job search, In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies that Work is available in paperback and Ebook.
What a Career Consultant Can Do for You
I’m often asked by prospective clients whether seeing a career consultant can really help. Understandably, they’re hesitant about spending money at a time when they may not be making any.
It’s a question that’s always a bit uncomfortable to answer. How do I avoid appearing totally self-serving?
Obviously, I think seeing an advisor is a great way to help job seekers get through a difficult time; otherwise, I would've chosen a different career. Still, I try to be as objective as possible.
The isolation of the job search
My major reason for suggesting a career advisor is an emotional one - search is isolating. You've been separated from your routine, from a part of your identity, and from people you may have liked. Left on your own, you ruminate. You try to interpret every single aspect of the search, i.e. Why is this person not calling back? Why isn't my resume working the way resumes should? Why is it five days since they said they'd call and they had promised three? Have I made the right choice in what I'm seeking? Maybe it's time for a radical change? And, my favorite: Why are so many people so incredibly rude during this process?
You go round and round in these thoughts (among many others about this process), don't get anywhere, and start to over-think every aspect. Some people end up reworking their resumes 10 or 12 times, almost always a colossal waste of energy. Sometimes, the result of all the rumination is to make bad career decisions, just to avoid the anxiety of the process itself.
If you have a significant other or family or both, that will probably add to the stress, no matter how supportive friends and family may be.
The importance of perspective
What's lacking here is perspective, and I think that's where the experienced listener and advisor plays a most critical role. It always amazes me that at the end of a successful client experience, one of the comments I have heard the most over the years is, "You really understood what I was going through." It's not usually about the technical aspects of the transition, even if we spent two or three entire meetings reviewing pitch and networking technique.
Of course, an experienced consultant will be knowledgeable about the (over-hyped) resumes, will help with interview presentation and content, will teach the value of high-touch relationship building, and, I hope, will understand and show the value of social media and social intelligence in the process.
Gaining an advantage
What you’re also looking for is an edge that will help you stand out from all the other job seekers. An experienced consultant can often provide proven strategies that can make all the difference.
As for the money, if it helps, it's worth it. Think about the big picture.