The Great Job Hunt

It doesn't really matter at which stage you are in your career, looking for a job stinks. Seriously. I should know--I'm looking for one right now. I've spent so much time tweaking my resume, perusing job search sites, and emailing potential employers that my eyes are crossing! And the interviews, that's another story altogether.

In between the searches and the "tweaking," I take mini-breaks and read various blogs. This is how I discovered a dating blog titled "Adventures in Dating After 40: the Dating Goddess's Lessons, Stories, and Advice" by the Dating Goddess, of course. As the title states, Dating Goddess (DG) describes her dates with "potential suitors" and the lessons learned from each one. Although I disagree with many of her opinions (her advice really is just an opinion--as far as I know her only training stems from her own dating experiences), I think she is onto something. By sharing her experiences and opinions, she adds humor to what can be a "trying" experience for someone entering the dating scene after years of being away from it. Whether one agrees or disagrees is irrelevant--there is something to be learned from each entry/experience.

Reading DG's blog gave me an idea. Although I could never blog about my own dating experiences, I have no problem blogging about my "job search" experiences. The process is alarmingly similar--it's all just a game. Like in any game, there are rules. Some folks play by the rules, while others don't. Personally, I play by the rules in both games, but I digress.

One of the things that I hate about the "job search game" is that the rules don't necessarily reward fair play. A resume is a summary of professional experiences to aid an employer in choosing the best new hire. Unfortunately, it excludes many skills that are obtained outside the work environment. This can truly hinder educated women who have chosen to stay home to raise a family but have a need to re-enter the work force at a later date. Interviews fare better than resumes, but you have to get to the interview before you can shine. The biggest problem with the interview is that the persona presented in an interview isn't always the persona who will show up for work each day.

Of course, just like dating, there are many guides out there offering to aid people in creating the perfect resume and honing interview skills. The guides even coach people on all the right "buzz" words to use in each setting. It's one big psychological game.

This blog isn't about coaching. It really is an appendix to a resume--my resume, and possibly yours. It contains my "adventures in job seeking after 40" (thank you, DG). Like the Dating Goddess, I will share my lessons and stories. I may even throw in a little advice . . .

Let the games begin . . .

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