Happy Memorial Day Weekend! The official kick-off to summer weekend is here and, at least in the Northeast, we’re getting a slight reprieve from the inundating rain and unseasonable cold of the past week. This weekend provides an excellent opportunity for reconnecting with friends and family, honoring our veterans (we’ll be hosting a picnic for my 80-year-old dad, a WWII veteran), and attending community events (our sons will march and play in the school band for the Memorial Day Parade in Durham).
For job seekers, Memorial Day weekend provides an ideal time for contemplation. Whether working full time and seeking a new opportunity–or an unemployed or underemployed professional, most job seekers find the Monday-to-Friday fast-paced activity of work and job search too compressed to allow much time for reflection. Here, then, is a chance to kick back a little, enjoy a well-deserved weekend off, and carve a few hours in over the three days to consider what really is most important in the job-search process (beyond the obvious objective of "a new job").
What environment will best suit you? What size organization has the most appeal? What qualities are you seeking in your direct manager? Which attributes of a position are most appealing? Compensation is important to everyone–but how much flexibility would you like? Is telecommuting an option? Are there opportunities readily defined for advancement? What training is offered–or reimbursed? What on-site facilities exist to enable personal development (including wellness and fitness centers)? And probably of greatest importance to your overall satisfaction is this key question: What do you really want to be doing in your next position (i.e., what skills do you want to use that will enable greatest satisfaction? what don’t you want to be doing?)?
Enjoy 72 hours, unfettered from work and job search, and allow yourself the necessary indulgence of figuring out what it is you are really seeking. This will help to fuel your efforts on Tuesday when you renew your focus on job search!
– Jan Melnik, MRW, CCM, CPRW, President, Absolute Advantage
I’m pleased to announce the launch of Absolute Advantage/Jan Melnik’s blog. My goal will be to share relevant career-management and job-search information that may prove beneficial to my clients (as well as prospective clients). As the blog expands, I will incorporate key features and content, along with an interactive exchange in a Q&A forum. Meanwhile, suggestions are welcome! If there’s a topic you’d like addressed or a feature you’d enjoy reading, please e-mail me through my link (CompSPJan@aol.com). Thanks for joining me today!
– Jan Melnik, MRW, CCM, CPRW, President, Absolute Advantage