Applying the personal training approach to your job search
You might have guessed that i am on a bit of a mission, trying to get the new DWP support for newly unemployed professionals a bit of momentum or at least get more people involved and getting the benefit of some coaching, sharing of information and focus. The scheme has been running since April but is still not that well known, certainly the job centres I have spoken to don’t refer many people on to it and I would like to see more coming my way as I know I can help them.
Sure enough like all good coaches I’m not going to tell people what to do but help them get there themselves, allowing for the fact we are all individuals and have our own approach to how we do things. However there are some common elements and I have started to think of the coaching in a similar way to personal trainers in a gym.
Think about how many people sign up to go to the gym each year with the objective of getting fit, or lose weight etc. but find that at the end of the year they haven’t achieved what they set out to do?
Certainly from my personal experience (I have been there) one of the main reasons why I failed is the simple fact that I would go once or twice in a month, when I could find the time but never really build enough continuous momentum to make any significant difference.
Surprise surprise it is exactly the same in any job search.
The key is to have a plan, generate some momentum and maintain that momentum, something that is very tough, especially in this market. Some people find it easy, having a natural ability and if you are one of those people then great. You will still need a plan (and I can help you with that) but for most of us it is an approach we need to work at.
As with many thing in life, we need to picture our goal, visualize the end result as well as the milestones that get us there. Without a realistic goal, with some timescales it becomes much tougher. Equally important is the role I would play as your coach, giving you a nudge on a regular basis to see where you are with your plan and giving you a slightly hard time if you have done nothing about it.
We all have busy lives but the things we do expand into that time, so we all need to set aside proper time for the job search both in the initial discussion and review and on a daily basis so that we actually do see some progress. We all spend time on ‘escape’ activities, searching the internet for that elusive new job and whilst some of the time we will come up with something, a lot of the time we won’t as we get diverted by youtube, facebook, twitter etc. Now all these things can help you find your next job but if they are not part of your plan they are a diversion.
So as well as a plan you need to be good with your time, using it like you would any other hour in your day if you were at work, with the kids, down the pub etc. Getting a new job today is going to be tough you need to engage and think of the experience as productive, worthwhile even fun!!
Like going to the gym there are days when you just can’t be bothered, that cold wet monday you said you would go for a run. Well i’m afraid you are going to have to get out of bed, get those shoes on and run, but not on your own I can help. So putting my money where my mouth is... I can help you if you are a newly unemployed professional - get to your job centre, ask about the programme and then get them to contact me to refer you. If you aren’t unemployed then I am going to run the same programme but make a charge for it. How much that charge is will depend on levels of interest and whether I can groups of 6 to 10 into the same location, but think it’s possible.
Email me at martin.dangerfield@mckinleyresource.com and I will send you the flyer for the programme, call me on 0161.955.3647 if you want to talk through the programme and how it could work for you.