For anyone who has ever helped someone in transition or been in transition you know one of the first things to do is forget about the circumstances that lead to the transition and focus on the future. The sooner a person can do that the more productive their job search will become. However, this is easier said than done. I was helping an executive deal with this recently, and as I was searching for another way to tell them they needed to move on I thought of something I used to do as a kid.
I grew up in a neighborhood where you played outdoors. Most of the time we played whatever sport was in season but we would also head to the nearby woods to build tree houses and swing from tree to tree like Tarzan. A vine or rope would hang from a tree branch. We would take a running start; grab the rope, and swing to the other side.
Our swing crossed a small ravine. The distance from one side to the other was about 15 feet although it seemed like 30 feet. As we would take turns swinging inevitably some would fail to jump off on the other side. They would swing back and start over. Others did not have enough momentum to get back so they ended up hanging over the ravine. We would try to pull them back but they usually fell into the ravine. We never lost anyone but we did experience a few bumps and bruises.
The key was getting a running start, a good grip, swinging as fast as possible and letting go at the right time. The same is true about career transition. You have to be fully committed to it. The best way to let go of something is to grab on to something else. In job search, that something else is focusing all your time and energy on moving forward.
Tom Cairns is a Principal at Cairns Blaner Group, a management-consulting firm. Tom is a former Chief Human Capital Officer at the US Department Homeland Security and former SVP, Human Resources for NBC Universal.
Image: kcowell
That's great Cynthia! Why do you think getting a job is so hard? Any thoughts on how employers can make it easier?
Great analogy. Have you seen the movie, "Up in the Air"? It has some great lessons and insights on moving forward after job loss. It really is true that when one door closes, another one opens. The faster we close and lock that door and step out into the hallway and start going forward, the sooner we'll find another door to open. We may have to open and peek in and decide that room isn't to our liking before we find a place to hang our hat, but we will find it. I was laid off after 9/11 and had to keep going for 9 months of unemployment. But then I got two offers and started down a successful path to some of the best jobs I've ever had. These days I'm always ready to grab the vine and swing out over the ravine to see what's on the other side!