Yes, that’s right. Just like other diets, this one also has a cutesy acronym. Today’s focus is on the first part. D is for detox.
We’re not talking about substance abuse or the new Dr. Dre album; we’re talking about career field abuse. When I first started looking for work, I was so sure that I knew exactly what job I wanted in what kind of company that I shut a lot of doors, which delayed my overall career path. Even though my experience in my field was limited, I was so positive that I knew exactly what position I should have, the starting salary I should carry, the size of my workspace, and so on.
And so, I went for months without even a reply to a job application.
In desperation, I boradened my search. Not just to other jobs in these companies, but to other fields, other experiences, and other ways of finding work. Instead of just using job boards, I signed up with the local Ad Club, where I made contacts who could tell me about advertising and marketing careers. Since I lived in DC, I looked for government work that I could accomplish with my skill set. And because I was still fairly inexperienced in the career pecking order, I applied for internships to gain more experience (and which could potentially lead to a job). Within three weeks, I had several callbacks, and a week after that, I landed a job.
The problem that many of us have with looking for work is that we pigeonhole ourselves into thinking that we can only accomplish one thing, that we can only succeed at one field. As I’ve said before (boy, that post is popular), it’s silly to think that you can only do one job for the rest of your life (or even for the rest of the month). Take some time to think over what you can do.
I spent a long weekend writing a list of my skills and abilities; I came up with far more than just what was needed for the one job I was looking for. Rather than become a slave to my single-minded ideal of the “perfect job,” I broke the addiction and found great work with great people. Just take some time to relax and be open to suggestions, and you never know what will come your way!
Diet Homework: Think about your job search – have you been casting your net too wide or too narrow? Spend some time to figure out what work you can do, and think of things beyond your industry of choice.
I’m not saying that a video game programmer should go for a pilot job (unless you want to), but rather that the programmer could look at other fields, like creating programs for ad agencies, 3d models for architects, and so on. Make a list of at least five other industries or positions that your skills could work in, and look for (and submit to) those jobs.
