Rarely
will job seekers see time management as
something that applies directly to themselves.
Nonetheless, job seekers need to get things done in a timely fashion,
lest those mismanaged chores and tasks accumulate
like dirty laundry. Everyone is vulnerable to bouts of procrastination, but with big-league job hunting, poor
time-management is a guaranteed opportunity killer.
The great equalizer everyone has in common
is time. Everyone gets exactly 24
hours on the clock, and not so much as an extra few seconds. Time can also be
compared to money: How we choose to invest it is up to the individuals. Whatever
gets accomplished (or not), so be it.
The simplest method for accomplishing tasks
involve making a list of those things that need to
be performed. It is practically a guaranteed method because it works and lowers
one’s stress. Not a bad payback when you consider the alternatives.
Most job seekers tell me
they have excellent time-management skills—at least to the extent of their jobs
and professions. I take them at their word. However, when it comes to
performing tasks outside their daily routines, most convey the contrary. This
becomes apparent when they start procrastinating habitually or coming up with
endless excuses.
Allow me to draw an analogy. For this
example, I’ll use big-league baseball, however,
almost any sport would suffice. Before you (the
player) get to participate on any major league team, you’ll be subjected to
tryouts. Scouts (the MLB’s version of company recruiters) will be on the lookout for
qualified applicants (potential players).
Show up for a tryout with an excuse or unresolved
fatal flaw, and you’ll be instantly
eliminated from consideration. (Same applies to seeking employment by the
way.) To make the team, you’ll have to demonstrate you can handle the
position. If you’re a pitcher, you better be able to throw the ball accurately;
for the shortstop position, you damn well
better be able to catch and throw accurately.
In short, each team position will have
different criteria. In most cases, playing baseball is like running a
successful business operation—it’s a well-orchestrated team effort. Rarely will
an organization rely solely on one individual to make all the home runs. In any
case, you best show up for a tryout well prepared.
Now let us return to everyday job hunting. For
the better-paying positions, you should view
interviewing as a big-league competitive sport. Clinging
to any other notion places you in the out-of-your-league category.
You’re like the one-legged hopeful base runner applying for the stealer's position on an MLB team, and expecting the scouts to turn a blind eye.
Today’s employers can be downright nitpicky.
They can cite any reason, lame or otherwise to eliminate players. Poor
interviewing ranks up there with those who are unqualified. Candidates who prepare well in advance for their tryouts have
the best odds. That, however, requires time and effort to hone and perfect one’s
interviewing aptitude.
Ironically, the majority
of job seekers won’t invest time practicing for interviews. Only a third bother
place it on their to-do checklist, leaving approximately one-in-five who will
actually exert the effort. The balance prefers to play it by ear.
Playing job interviews by ear these days is
a guaranteed strategy for failure. Casinos
offer better odds shooting craps or playing
roulette. The time invested in practicing for
interviews is time well spent. Recruiters prefer those who can respond
effectively to challenging inquiries. It makes eliminating those who show up unprepared
much easier. It also saves a load of time and money.
Copyrighted (c) 2016 by Robert James