Career dissatisfaction in a recession

In a time when many people are grateful to have any kind of job that pays all the bills, I've heard it said that it's selfish to talk about being dissatisfied at one's current work. I can understand where this concern is coming from: beggars can't be choosers, as the saying goes. Or can they? I will argue in this post that it depends on whether you view yourself as a beggar.

Let's think about that for a moment. By definition, a beggar is a person who is in desperate need of something and needs help to get it. Are you a beggar in terms of work? It may very well be the case - you need a job and you need it asap. In that case, this article may not feel like it's for you. It likely feels that you will not have a whole lot of choice in your next job - you need something, anything.

I suggest you remember the following, to keep yourself motivated and confident:
   * You are not a beggar! You are a qualified, hardworking member of the workforce. As such, you will contribute best in a role/job where you feel like your skills are being used. So yes, you need a job, but doing something you don't like or that you are under-skilled for will only make you de-motivated and un-productive.

   * Attitude isn't everything, but it sure helps! Your job search is affected very strongly by the attitude with which you approach it. If you approach it like a job, and dedicate a lot of time and coordinated effort to it, it will probably succeed more quickly than a haphazard flail and flurry of poorly-written applications. Targeted job searching, with a positive "I can do this job!" attitude shining in all your communications, will earn you a job in your field that uses your skills before hurried and desperate-sounding communications any day.

You may want to find a support group of some kind to keep you feeling positive and confident. Local employment help centres can connect you with fellow job seekers and employment counsellors. Your own social circle can also support you - most of us have been unemployed at some point, and we know how frustrating and frightening it is

Job Searching from Out-of-Town

Looking for employment from an out-of-town location presents an extra hurdle to a job searcher, and one that is not easily overcome. It is a challenge especially on my mind at the moment, as I am presently located in South Korea, and will relocate to Toronto, Ontario at the end of this month. Finding an apartment was fairly straightforward. Finding employment to pay for the apartment is now the top priority.

Let's look at some of the key challenges associated with job searching in a different city.

ADDRESS

Believe it or not, it may be to your advantage to have a local address on your resume and cover letter, even if you don't currently live in the city to which you are relocating. There are HR departments and hiring managers who will pass over applicants whose addresses are not local, simply due to the trouble of arranging interviews and not wanting to be asked to help with the cost of relocation.

If you have a good friend or family member whose address you can use, ask them if you may use it before putting it on your documents. Then at least you won't be screened out immediately. No doubt the employer will notice that your current employment is in a different city, but if you have written a solid resume, they should be interested enough in you to consider you as a candidate anyway.

DISTANCE

If you are not too far away, you can keep your real address, and you can offer at the end of your cover letter to come for an interview. I have been offering to do a tele-conference via internet at the employer's convenience. I've had a few bites, and a few "please be in touch when you're back in the country" requests. I'll follow those up as soon as I'm back on Canadian soil.

NETWORK

Or should I say, lack of network, is a very significant problem when you are relocating to a new city. This might be the biggest challenge of relocating. If you don't have any connections in your field in your new city, you have nobody to help you understand the proverbial "lay of the land," and assess what kinds of employers are present and feed you potential job openings from the hidden job market. You should make sure that friends and family are keeping their eyes and ears open for you, and if it is appropriate to let colleagues in your current location know about your job search in a new city, it may be to your advantage to let them know about your search. They may hear of opportunities and can pass them on.



So if you're having difficulty getting job interviews from an out-of-town location, don't despair. Do what you can to improve your chances, and if you haven't secured anything by the time you move, put your all into the job hunt immediately after the move. Finding a job is a full-time job, so get up early and work on it intensely.

Take a look at my previous articles:
When the job search is going nowhere
Writing effective applications

Research Study Closed

I have found all the participants I need for my study. It is closed.

Thank you for your interest, and very good luck with your job search!

Research Participants needed

Participants Needed for Research Study:
Korean men and women, aged 26+, who have completed university or college and who have started the process for moving permanently to Canada. Have a one-hour individual interview in English about your understanding of working in Canada with a researcher from Canada. In thanks, you will be offered a one-hour discussion on job searching in Canada. Please contact Jennifer Davies of Conestoga College (Ontario, Canada) at --------------.


연구 조사 대상자 모집:
26세 이상 한국 남녀. 초대졸 졸업 이상자로 캐나다로 이민을 생각하고 계신분. 캐나다 연구원과 당신의 경력에 대해서 1시간 정도 영어로 면접이 있음. 보상: 캐나다에서 찾는 일에 대한 1시간 가량의 토론. 자세한 정보는 제니퍼에게 연락 주세요. ---------------------

Thank you very much for your interest in this research study! I am a student at Conestoga College (Ontario, Canada). My faculty supervisor is Carole Cotton (---------- (at) conestogac.on.ca).

I am studying the expectations for work and career of Koreans thinking about moving to Canada, and your understanding of working in Canada once you are there.

If you are interested in participating in the study, please answer the following questions for me:
· Are you 26 years old or older?
· Are you a man or a woman?
· What level of education have you completed?
· How many years have you been working since graduating?
· What steps have you taken toward moving permanently to Canada?

Thank you very much! Rest assured that your responses will be kept confidential and deleted from my e-mail account within one year of their receipt.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Davies

Doctorate at U of T starting in January

I have been granted a deferral to start my Doctorate of Education at the University of Toronto in January. It'll give me the time I need to get settled in Toronto, find a job, and complete a MA thesis make-up project.

My supervisor will be Dr. Charles Chen, the Canada Research Chair in Life Career Development.

I'm so excited - pinch me!