I just read a headline that shouted out the news that “U.S. companies are adding jobs at the slowest rate in three years”. If you thought the American economy had rebounded and the unemployment rate was headed down, this is bad news. If you are getting ready to graduate from college and throw your hat in the ring for a job, its worse.
All the more reason to have a plan for getting a job. Here is my advice. Know what kind of work you want to do. Do your research on what companies, organizations or individuals can give you that work, and then develop a plan.
Yes, you heard me. Finding a job should be treated as your full time job until you find one. If someone told you that you could start your own company and make a million dollars in ten years or less, wouldn’t you put some effort into it? Like maybe writing a business plan with a marketing strategy? Well, a starting salary of $65,000 with an average 7.5% raise each year over ten years is pretty close to a million dollars. So why not get started. Draw up you plan. Create your marketing strategy.
No one else is going to do it for you. If you want to take control of your destiny you need to have a plan. This plan should identify your targeted opportunities. It should include a strategy for relating your talents, skills, experience and aptitude to the needs of your targeted opportunities. And it should lay out a campaign to get you in front of the decision makers for those targeted opportunities.
Plan your future. Don’t just wait for someone to give you a job.
work in the real world 