Finding suitable employment is a lot like trying to
draw on an inside straight. The game books caution you not to do it, but what
the hell—we do it anyway.
I have a client who was about to make such a longshot
bet before he came to see me. He planned to leave a secure position (cut the deck), and place a wager before
peeking at his hand. Is that gutsy,
or what?
Every time we enter the job market, we are wagering a
bet. Sometimes the odds are short, especially if you’ve been dealt a pat hand such
as a full house or flush—as in the case where you are handed the family
business on a silver platter. Usually, however, that is not the hand most
jobseekers are dealt.
Also, if your position is secure and the benefits are
adequate, you are not likely to gamble it away on a whim. You merely sit on the
sidelines while others spend their money and emotional energies. On the other
hand, seeking gainful employment is not a spectator sport. You have to have skin
in the game, or you have a zero chance of winning new employment.
Should you desire to sit in on the action, you have to
ante up. You have to either invest your time and energy or hire someone to
draft your résumé. You have to either learn the game rules, or have someone
show you the ropes. In either case, there is a time investment—either yours or someone else’s.
When the time arrives for you to sit down and place
your bet (interview), you are either
ready to gamble, or you are in the game with scared money. It is not prudent to
play with scared money. The odds are simply too long, and the risk of losing
what you have are too great.
Before making a no
guts: no glory bet on new employment, it is recommended you have what is
referred to as a come-to-Jesus moment. A few weeks back, I created a 25-question,
self-evaluation sheet entitled: Do You Have An Employment Action Plan?
The questionnaire is designed to determine if you have
enough skin in the game to risk making an employment bet. The winning odds
start tipping in your favor when you score 68 out of 100 points. (Most of those taking the exercise have
averaged in the low fifties.)
If you think you are up to enter the game, take the
exercise by using the above link. The more issues you can resolve before you
sit down to play, the better your odds. Go ahead, have some fun. Besides, this
is a low-cost gamble, and requires only a few moments of your time.
Copyright © 2013 by Robert James