Happy 2022! I know a lot of people have been impacted by COVID during the new year, as we were, and you may not have gotten to start off like a rocket toward your goals as you might have hoped.
Also, the reality is many people, on top of sickness, also deal with financial, housing, even food, insecurity. Side gigs have helped many people stay afloat or finally catch up on some financial goals only to have to give up that extra income, and potentially also lose their main income, when COVID hits them. In the midst of supply chain issues and labor shortages due to mass resignation and absenteeism, some companies have had to make cuts.
Then there are those who found themselves hospitalized who are now wondering how they will pay for their care. Bottom line is, COVID’s impact on people goes well beyond physical illness, and many are struggling financially right now. Many people are unable to hire a career coach to help them get back on track to take advantage of the opportunities left vacant by others or created from sectors that have thrived in spite of or because of the pandemic.
In previous economical downtimes, it was imperative to be competitive, as there were way more people than opportunities. Granted, the prospects are much better today, but that doesn’t change some people’s personal job search hardships. The conventional job search of today still winds up creating a cascade of negative, demoralizing, and discouraging experiences that can leave some wondering what’s wrong with them and why companies can’t just see that they have the potential to be great. You may have to look for innovative methods that can guide and assist you in choosing the best career. As part of your job search efforts, you can utilize a well-written and informative blog (such as that of Si Whine or another contributor), YouTube videos, and advice from an expert. Sometimes, it can mess with your head, and we’re all shouldering a lot right now.
Over the past 9 years, I have written many blog posts with advice that, when applied, will dramatically shift your job seeker experience into one of control and choice – the good kind of choice where you have to choose between one great offer and another very different, but equally intriguing offer. The only dilemma is that you have to decide which opportunity to accept. Even if you choose wrong, you can rest assured that you will know exactly what to do in order to create new opportunities and land somewhere better, though the processes you will learn from my blog posts will prevent making that wrong choice.
Whether you are just getting off to a slow start thanks to COVID or have been discouraged by lackluster results with your current job search efforts, the following blogs/vlogs, if applied, will be exactly what you need to ignite and exponentially accelerate your momentum and get results that reassure you that your next best career move is just ahead.
- Ask yourself these questions to better clarify what you want, who you want to want you, and how to appeal to them: 10 Steps to Being the ONE Who Gets the Offer: Avoid “Bland Brand”
- Give your achievement-based résumé bullets a boost with a branding touch up: A Two-Letter Word That Heightens Your Brand
- Check your résumé for these 10 things: Scrap your résumé if it has these 10 things and then watch this video that tells you what you want to do instead.
- Set up your schedule so that you are creating habits out of the most effective job search activities that produce the best results: 5 Job Search Activities That Will Keep Your Momentum Up, Even If You Slow Down
- Found an opportunity you want to pursue? Plans A Through D for Getting Noticed by Employers
- Mix things up and be in action when you feel like you are at the whim of employers and recruiters: 5 Ways to Reclaim Your Power in Your Job Search or Career
- Lastly, sometimes when things aren’t going how you hoped and you can’t manufacture motivation, you need to step away and refuel your spirit. Follow these steps to put yourself back in the game: How You Respond to a Slump Determines How Quickly You Recover
Some of you have expressed that you miss my practical job search advice. It’s true that my content has evolved in the past few years. I really felt like my best advice was already captured, though, and it’s all available for you on my blog.
Feel free to search the blog for things that you are facing now for which you need advice. Chances are good that you will find helpful insight and answers in past blog posts so you can move past your challenge and into effective action.
Karen Huller, CEO of Epic Careering, is the co-founder of The Consciousness Conference (ConCon) and the C3: Corporate Consciousness Co-op community on LinkedIn. She is the creator of the Corporate Consciousness Ripple Blueprint and author of Laser-sharp Career Focus: Pinpoint your Purpose and Passion in 30 Days. She founded Epic Careering, a conscious career and leadership development firm specializing in executive branding, talent-values alignment, and conscious culture, in 2006.
While the bulk of Mrs. Huller’s 20 years of professional experience has been within the recruiting and employment industry, her publications, presentations, and coaching also draw from experience in personal development, performance, broadcasting, marketing, and sales. Her solutions incorporate breakthroughs in neuroscience, human performance optimization, bioenergetics, and psychology to help leaders accelerate rapport, expand influence, and elevate engagement and productivity while also looking out for the sustainability of the business and the planet.
Mrs. Huller was one of the first LinkedIn trainers and is known widely for her ability to identify and develop new trends. She is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer, Certified Career Transition Consultant, and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist with a Bachelor of Art in Communication Studies and Theater from Ursinus College and a minor in Creative Writing. Her blog was recognized as a top 100 career blog worldwide by Feedspot.
Mrs. Huller was an Adjunct Professor in Cabrini University’s Communications Department and an Adjunct Professor of Career Management and Professional Development at Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business. As an instructor for the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, she has helped two of her students win the 2018 National Competition to be named America’s Next Top Young Entrepreneurs, to win the 2019 People’s Choice Award, and to land in the top 8 during the (virtual) 2020 National Competition.
She serves on the board for the Upper Merion Community Center, which she helped establish, and is an advisor to Florida International University for their Women in Leadership program. For her service as Vice President of the Gulph Elementary PTC, she received recognition as a Public Education Partner and Promoter from the Upper Merion Area Education Association. Mrs. Huller has also been the lead singer for Harpers Ferry, a rock cover band, for 20 years. She lives in King of Prussia, PA with her husband, two daughters, and many pets, furry, feathered, and scaly.