The “challenging waters” of career transition, specifically a lengthy period of un-employment during a typical job search campaign, can be quite stressful. And part of that stress is the constant fear that you may have positioned yourself for something that’s just not available in the marketplace.

When is it time to give up on, or change your approach, to a desired result? When do you stop pursuing a desired career outcome? When do you walk away from a negotiation or quit trying to make a relationship work?

Do you give up when you get frustrated? Or when you’ve tried everything you know to try? Or when a better option becomes available?

How do you know when your persistence goes from an asset to a liability?

THIS Week’s Session, Thursday, October 17… Implementing Your PMP:  Bob leads a discussion of coaching YOURSELF to greater performance, a “wave theory.”

Many people talk about “information overload” and “decision fatigue” when it comes to how to conduct your job search, or write your resume, or develop your LinkedIn Profile…or answer those challenging interview questions. THE Careerpilot believes there’s another side to the coin… Receiving options is actually motivational and liberating, with the right mindset.

Asking for someone else’s advice isn’t about getting the right answer out of them. Rather, it’s about adding perspective to your view so you can choose the right answer for you.

So, how can you ensure another ‘second opinion’ doesn’t cloud your judgement?

First and foremost, understand that your ‘core personality,’ defined by your unique strengths, skills, interests, preferences, and values (Step#1: ASSESSMENT), drives your “gut feel” on matters of choice. TRUST that!

In THE Careerpilot’s 12-Step M.A.P. for career transition, Steps #1 and #2 are in place for one simple reason: If you don’t have a grip on what you want to do next in your career, work toward giving yourself that grip!

Your core personality should be represented in your offer criteria BEFORE development of your Personal Marketing collateral materials, like your resume!  If you cannot connect your motivated skills and strengths to supportive and confirming episodes from your actual experience, you should be utilizing your first wave of implementing your Personal Marketing Plan (Step#9) to identify and resolve this vital issue.

Only then will it become effective to proceed with Step#3 in the development and practice of your collective communication strategies (keywords) in the design of your collateral materials, both verbal and written.

Remember: Perfect practice makes PERFECT!

Persistence leads to many successes but at some point, can serve to point you in a different direction. Persistently pursuing a specific job search objective, in the face of resistance, lack of opportunity, or competition, can be a waste of time and money. You can miss many alternative opportunities while tirelessly investing energy into a dead-end approach or new relationship.

Never prematurely equate re-positioning your efforts with broader changes in your Personal Marketing Plan. Market conditions can be very dynamic… those “challenging waters” may call for a change in course.

Knowing when to stay the course, change course, or quit isn’t easy. Knowing when ‘enough is enough’ isn’t always clear. The best strategy isn’t always certain even after the dust has settled on a situation and time has gone by. Hence regrets remain for many people who tried for too long as well as for those who gave up too early.

To help you when deciding whether to continue, stop, or redirect your resources, ask yourself “Did you …..
• Truly give it your best? Did you perform your best and to a level of excellence defined by most objective standards?
• Try every reasonable approach or tactic that fit within your chosen strategy or Personal Marketing Plan?
• Give it sufficient time? Did you practice patience and allocate enough time for your efforts to be recognized, evaluated, and acted upon?
• Consult with people qualified to give you advice? Did you seek wise counsel from people willing to challenge your thinking rather than merely talking to people who validated your thinking?
• Manage the other realities in your life? Did you think objectively rather than rely on your instinct replete with its subjectivity? Did you cave in to emotion or unsubstantiated financial pressures?
• Look in the mirror? Did you take your share of responsibility for the issue? Do you have a Plan, and did you identify and correct the areas you had control over that contributed to the impasse… so you aren’t merely running from yourself?
• Use rational thinking as well as your feelings? Did you follow both your mind and your heart? Did you evaluate the facts and statistics as well as the impact on people?
• Consider the unique nuances of your particular situation… rather than blindly follow accepted norms?

If you can’t honestly and objectively answer “yes” to these questions, take action on those topics you can’t. If you can answer yes, consider it time to redirect your resources. You may be in a hole that is only getting deeper with time.

You may be wasting your energy and money. Your persistence may be at the point of foolishness. Change your strategy, tactics, or approach. Or pursue your better alternative.