What is Your View of You? How do you view yourself in the job hunt? How do you view your employability? As you are job hunting, it is more helpful to think of yourself as a person with skills rather than a particular job title. This is "Brand You." If you have put yourself in a specific job title box, thinking of yourself in this way will break you out of the box and into more job prospects. If you are looking to find a job title, you will have a harder time trying to find a job and the job you do get may not be the right fit. This is a common problem among job-seekers. This can be especially true if the job title was attractive or prestigious. For example, I was a president at one point in my career. If I had only looked at presidential jobs for my next one, I might never have become employed. I subsequently became a trainer, vice president, an analyst and now a CEO. Quite a variety! The problem is: Over-identification with a job title. The solution is: Analyze what you’ve done, not just your job title. A teacher I coached found it hard to change jobs because he only thought of himself as a teacher and only looked for teaching jobs. Scott had done most of the things done by most managers – organizing, coordinating, supervising, planning, directing, rewarding, encouraging. He had the skills to be a manager, as well as a teacher. By thinking of yourself as a person with skills rather than as a person with a particular job title, you can break out of the trap you may be in, the little box that you and others have put you into. The Next Steps to Take

1. Identify the roadblocks in your path to a new job. These will be your feelings about your job and your job title.

• Clear the clutter of any negative feelings about your prior employer and your new need to job hunt.
• See this as the opportunity it is to get your dream job or find work that has more meaningful to you.
• Let go of your "glamorous" job title. That was then, this is now. Employers have a way of defining what the job is, regardless of the title.

2. Make a list of all the work you’ve done, regardless of whether you thought of it as work or got paid for it.

• All experience is valuable. Remember the teacher I mentioned earlier? How we got him to "manager" is when he described coaching his son’s teams. All volunteer and all invaluable.

3. What limits have you put on your own job search?

• If you won’t accept anything that you perceive as less than what you had before, you maybe rejecting the best next job for you.
• This is a great time to look at your values and find a job/career that aligns with those values.
• Be open to all possibilities. The next job is the next step on your career ladder.

4. When people ask you who you are, what do you call yourself?

• Put a positive spin on your situation. Say you’re reevaluating you career choice. You are weighing options before you move forward. You are exploring various avenues and other industries.
• If you absolutely want to be X, say so. "I’m in the process of looking for a great X job."

5. When your friends and family talk about you, what do they say you do?

• Listen to what they say. It might also give you a clue as to what they see as your best skills.
• Family or friends may like you in a particular title. You are the one doing the job. So do the job that fits YOU the best.

Remember - The goal is to get a job!

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream. This is a great time to contact me to put an action plan together to think of yourself in a new way and get a career that aligns with your values. I can assist you in creating your skills inventory, crafting a polished Brand You Sound-bite, getting you on the path to your dream job.

Don’t wait, call me now at 916.803.1494 or send me an email to eal@EALCoaching.com .

Warmly, Elisabeth