Career Spring Cleaning: It’s been a long time coming
Here in the northern lake country of Minnesota, it’s been a long winter. Just when we thought we were home free until at least next late fall, our 60ish temps dropped to 30s and more snow—complete with winds. I felt as though I was time warped back to early and lion-like March.
Spring can be harsh. Frost can mash brand-new blossoms. We can be lulled into hopefulness, only to be fooled. Spring can tease. After battling sleet, snow and slush for months, you yearn for warmth. It never comes quickly enough.
Some of my clients tell me about long, difficult job searches. If we were to use the seasonal metaphors, it feels like they are searching for warmth in a hostile environment. If they are floundering with any aspect of their job search, it’s a bit like some winter images—icy, dreary and never-ending.
If you are struggling with a career transition that makes you feel as though you are buried under a coat of ice and simply hibernating through long, dark days, it can help to think in terms of seasons. Nothing lasts forever. Inevitably, you will move forward. The earth and life go in cycles. There are longer days that bring more light with them. The sunshine and warmer air melt the ice mounds nudged into the ground. In their place, new growth emerges.
Career Spring Cleaning: There can always be new sparkle
So, spring is here now, albeit late. Even though I am not in love with cleaning by any stretch of the imagination, I have the urge to wash, dust, mop, vacuum and make things fresh.
Because I relate just about everything I do to my clients and their careers, my new domestic goddess energy reminds me of my client, Marcia. She called me a couple days ago. She was excited; she had not felt that way in quite some time. The reason for her downright-giddiness was that she had felt this spring renewal as well, related to her job search.
She told me that she had done three career spring cleaning “chores” that left her feeling hopeful and ready for good things.
- Cleaned her job search space. Marcia organized her files of job-search information, and purged or shredded anything outdated. She cleaned her equipment and work space. To reward herself, she put a fresh bouquet of flowers on her desk.
- Cleaned her online image. Marcia knew that 80% of recruiters say online image affects their decision-making. She set up strict privacy settings on all her social networks, finished her LinkedIn profile to make it 100% complete, became active in some groups, and grew her connections. She bought the Twitter Job Search Guide. She set up a website to blog on her expertise, event planning.
- Cleaned her to-do list. She re-prioritized her commitments. She was amazed at how many things she was able to delete from her calendar that were time zappers not worthy of her efforts.
Spring follows winter. Rainbows follow storms. Spring represents growth, a fresh start. Why not do a little career spring cleaning? You never know what wonderful consequences lay ahead, once you plant the seeds of positive movement!
Photo: Muffet
