Once again, it's been a very long week since my last post. Just another curse from managing to keep my 4 part-time jobs alive. While the job search To Do list doesn't seem to get any smaller, it's now joined by a pair of new To Do lists from a couple of the part-time positions.
I wonder what you think...how best do you chip away at your To Do lists? Carry them with you? Create a new one each day? Keep them electronically? On paper? Post it on your mirror, your fridge, your pc's screen? Reward yourself?
Please: comment on this post, share your thoughts, I'm curious what works best for you all. This blog has leaned a bit too one sided, let's share our thoughts and start some discussions...
Had my second conversation this week about following up (job leads, networking contacts made, returning calls, deciphering the notes made on business cards, promises made...). Both of the people I discussed this with were roughly my age (the wrong side of 40+), and we shared our observations about the piling up of follow ups - seems almost inevitable. We also noticed how many younger folks (generation x, or y, or whatever you want to call them - i.e., the ages we wish we were again now that we have all this wisdom!) seem to have a strong aversion to following up, especially when it comes to the job search ("I don't want to be a nuisance"..."they promised to call me in a week").
Again...what do you think? Are they, or you - depending on age, so different from some of us older workers? Comment, criticize, agree, yell, debate...let me (and all of us) know your thoughts please.
A final thought - it's summer! Time to be outside, especially in Chicago (the suffering is over, for a few months at least), we need to go pick up our Blackhawk Stanley Cup Championship gear - we have so much to do, but now's not the time to let your "networking" guard down. Two of my part time jobs were found due to networking. Simply put: we can't ever stop networking. So, find a great place outside to meet with these people, but try really hard to resist "taking the summer off". It's indoors, but on Tuesday June 22, 6:00pm - 9:30pm, a great monthly networking event to attend is the BNC's After Hours - learn more, register at: http://june2010afterhours.eventbrite.com/
and now, your turn!
larry
Posts
Larry,
ReplyDeleteHaving the PT positions should not preclude the follow up or even slow it down of you are doing a deservice to your self and future. Have to have a schedule that could employ one of all of the tactics you discussed in the post, take them with you or create a new one each day so they are fresh in mind. There is always time inbetween to one off the list. And at the end of the day if really important we all find time for it cause we cannot stop ourselves.
However, saying it and putting this into practice are two very opposite notions. I can tell you to do so but have myself been distracted by PT work because make no mistake we end of working more, thinking more and often doing more then PT would suggest.
Keep up the good work. Showing others what you are capable of instead of telling them is very powerful. Often a PT opportunity can lead to full time work.
Falise,
ReplyDeleteWell said! Speaking of lack of time....lack of time for a new blog entry, but keep watching for a new one this week!
lj