10 Days

10 Business days are logged in the books and I am embarking on the final 10 days to go.  I find myself halfway to the finish line and I still have no idea where the yellow finish line will be.  I am trying to embrace this concept like a wonderful surprise and put on rose-colored glasses to see the glass half full. 

I have had lots of activity with recruiters, interviews and a virtual career day (yup, that is a thing, #fairygodboss) during the last 5 days which resulted in 6 scheduled interviews for the start of week 3.  If I was selling and I had that many pre-scheduled meetings lined up for the week I would be a goddess. The only problem is that it can take 5, 6, 7 or more interviews with one company to land a role.  The entire process feels endless…it keeps going and going and going.

Figuring out how to cope with the rigorous process is the key.   I have embraced the usual suspects like running, coffee, gardening, organizing, any project and being insanely focused.  Even with all my activity I find staying in the present moment is difficult.  I am as guilty as the next person to rewind a job interview and wish I could erase some words and add others to re-write my script.   If I am not looking at the past then I am foretelling the future.  Hit the fast forward button and step on for a crazy ride of free fall.   I never get a job because I am missing some random skill, that 3 people on the planet have, that some employer deemed as the most critical requirement.   Flashing lights go off and they say, “YOU HAVE NOT BEEN SELECTED”, after 7 interviews. UGH.

I find myself feeling frustrated, exhausted, disappointed, discouraged and my skin crawling with self-doubt.   I have now learned to allow myself to live these moments.  It is important to embrace the crap sometimes because you don’t need to pick yourself up 24/7 and cheer yourself on every moment.   Why not just let the defeat wash all over you…no need to fight   
it, it just feels crappy.  For me this is HUGE to allow myself a moment that isn’t all glammed up like Susie Sunshine and it feels real.   

What I remember is that there is a gift after today’s crappy day and that is tomorrow.   Tomorrow feels like hope. It is a fresh start, new beginning, almost like New’s Years day except it comes every 24 hours.   Even better! Tomorrow I can wake up and hit the reset button, get a new start at this job hunt and cheer myself on!  Yeah, me!

LESSONS LEARNED

Stay Mindful

• Don’t become stuck in the past at what you could have or should have done or said in an interview
• Don’t project the future and have visions of never getting a job and being broke 
• STAY IN THE PRESENT and accept it.  Whatever your circumstances are, no matter if it is good, bad or even if it is ugly- embrace it.

MOTIVATION

Network-Network-Network 

• Connect with personal friends, business colleagues, teammates, social media acquaintances, school connections…just connect and let them know you are looking for a new job. Most importantly, ask for help. Trust me, there is nothing more humankind wants to do then help others.

Be fearless

• Embrace something new and put yourself out in the universe to get a new role.  One thing I have done is to attend a Meetup! (www.meetup.com) Take a look online and find something that interests you like technology, business networking or makes you uncomfortable, like public speaking.  Say yes and go!