People are launched into transition every day no matter what the employment stats are.
Being acquired used to be a good thing but now it means people are going to get fired.
Being in transition can be bewildering and frustrating. This is especially true if it is the first time or it’s been a long time. It is especially hard on high achievers.
We are taught to work but not what to do when we are not working.
It is an awkward to wake up on your first Monday home with no place to go.
The loss of the predictability of working life can be disorienting.
People in transition move from a world where there was a fire hose of e mails daily in their inbox to a few drips of e mails.
There are a number of doors that people knock on or pass through on their transition journey.
KNOCK KNOCK. I DON’T WANT TO BE HERE.
First folks in transition will move from a world where many people were asking them for their time to a world where they have too much time on their hands.
Yes dealing with silence is a very tough transition from the electronic noise of the working world.
In the world of transition you will be met by more silence than rejection because communications today is often crickets. Apply on company website is one of the biggest lies in the world.
When I have a coffee with folks who have just entered through Door Number One they all share that this is harder than I thought it would be.
To get out of this space you need to walk through the door that leads you to activity. Finding a job is a full time job. You need to be as busy finding a job as you were working.
KNOCK KNOCK. I AM GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
Develop your business cards and other personal marketing quickly. By end of week one max. I have always preached that everyone should have their own business cards even while they are working. You need to be ready to be fired these days.
Turn your LinkedIn profile from a list of dates, companies, and titles to your personal story.
Arrange five networking coffees a day. Two will get cancelled so you will end up with three. Each person will give you a couple of names to pursue so that is 30 a week. Quickly you will develop a network.
Attend networking events. All are good but the best ones have structure. I like the ones where people get an opportunity to introduce themselves and say what they do and share their target companies.
Supplement your job hunting with vigorous work outs to give you a further sense of achievement.
KNOCK KNOCK. I AM GLAD TO BE BACK.
So eventually you will walk through another door and you will emerge back into the world of working. It may take you longer than you want and you might end up not where you thought you would end up but you will emerge.
So what lessons will you take from your transition journey?
Will you go back to your old ways or will you live a new working life focused on yourself as much as your employer?
Only you can decide what door you will create next.
KNOCK KNOCK.