EPISODE 804: Job Myths.. Don't Believe Them!
Like Bigfoot, Santa Claus, The Loch Ness Monster, and The Easter Bunny, there are myths about finding a job that just aren’t true.
Sure, there could be a kernel of accuracy in these stories we tell ourselves, but they aren’t true all or most of the time.
Yet we let them invade our thoughts like insidious little brain worms and then we subconsciously use them as excuses for why we don’t take a certain action on our job search or even look to make a change.
I want to explode some of the prevalent myths here today. I’m tackling five here what can stop people from taking forward moving action. As you read these, ask yourself what’s stopping you?
No one hires during summertime or the holidays. This is an old one and I have heard it countless times. There are cycles of recruiting that occur. And if you want a new job, always be looking. An unanticipated resignation will trigger a job search regardless as to whether it’s August or December. In all my years in staffing, we always filled full-time roles 12 months of the year without one exception. What if your competition believes this myth? A better shot at a coveted role for you! Your responsibility is to never stop looking.
I have to know what I want to do before I make a change. No, you don’t. It takes courage to just acknowledge that your job isn’t working for you and then commit to making a change. It also takes courage to say, “I’m not sure what’s next, but I’m ready to start moving forward”. That’s a winning thought. I have multiple exercises for my clients to give them clarity about what they want next in their career and the support to go deep within and ask the hard questions. Having a partner with you on the journey is a game changer.
"X” Money / Title will make me happy. Not so much and this rebuttal is coming from a very money motivated human…me. Did you know that people compare up? Who has more money/title/toys/perks /prestige than me? A lot of people. Who has less? A lot of people. This is not a game you can win. While most people would accept that these are not the best goals, it is hard to move past them mentally. Instead think about what kind of job will help you be who you want to be in your life. That’s an entirely different and more fruitful conversation that expands your horizons way beyond the time-worn money and title construct.
I can’t change career paths. Says who? Only you maybe? No career decision is a permanent one, if you don’t want it to be. The majority of people change careers. It always feels so impossible, yet people do it all the time. Sometimes we just outgrow old choices—and career decisions aren’t immune from that. Or maybe your career path isn’t what you thought it would be when you started. Or maybe you just feel ready for a change. Whatever the reason, you can always prepare to start over in a new field. There are challenges in making the switch—experience? Job opportunities? Skills?—but if you’re invested in this change and make plans to get the experience and skills you need (or are willing to start from the bottom), there’s nothing stopping you. As a career coach, I can guide you around each of those challenges.
All HR and Recruiters do is ghost people. Not true…but it can take a while. They are busy with a lot of other initiatives in addition to hiring. There are many times when a Recruiter receives literally hundreds of resumes per job opening. You may hear back when you least expect it. It’s up to you to keep in touch with HR and any hiring managers you may know. The ball is in your court to keep the lead warm. Too many times, people get discouraged when they haven’t heard anything, and they are not taking action to keep themselves top of mind. Keep awareness of your interest high. Do what many people don’t do. Reach out.
If you aren’t happy in your job, you owe it to yourself to consider a career change and not believe the myths. I can help.
I’ve helped thousands of people secure great jobs at hundreds of different companies and I can help you. Reach out to me at brenda@brendaholley.com. I offer a free 30-minute consultation and it’s the next step for your best job.
