Now Is Not The Time To Give Up

Posted on May 06, 2020 by Jonathan Roberts PhD, One of Thousands of Executive Coaches on Noomii.

So, I will state the obvious, we are in perilous times. It is so easy to get sucked into the gloom and doom and make irrational decisions. We have to be extremely careful and vigilant in this hour. The decisions we make in the coming days will have lasting effects on not just our lives, but those around us that depend upon us.

Many people are finding themselves now looking for a new job due to layoffs, furloughs or down right firings. Well the situation is not going to change by giving up or quitting or sticking our heads in the sand. Now really is the time to take advantage of the gift that is not replenishable……time. What are you doing with the time you have now? Are you developing on a new skill? Are you taking time to re-charge your battery? Are you re-establishing old relationships? Maybe you are just hoping this will magically all end?
Well we know two things to be true; first, hope is not a strategy and second there is no magical wand that will be waved, so what do we do? I am glad you asked.

Lean In

Do not let this moment pass you by. Rather than patiently waiting to go back to work find a new skill. Learn a new trade. There are immense opportunities to learn and grow in this season. Think about a skill or trade you have wanted to learn or an area you have wanted to improve or enhance. There are so many learning opportunities at our disposable, we have to lean in and determine what we want to learn. Even if you are still working now is a great time to learn more about your organization and add more value to the company. This is a great time for you to shine above your peers. Some will take it easy, while you lean in, you will elevate yourself above your peers and your leaders will take notice. Maybe it is a webinar or the internet – YouTube has a ton of informational videos that can enhance your skill set. Read a book! Just do not come out of this situation with the same skill set you had pre-pandemic.

Do not Undervalue Yourself

Because the situation is so precarious, you may make panic decisions, such as accepting a job or applying for a job that is below your skill set. Employers are poised to win big in this environment. The scales have shifted from bountiful opportunities to few and far between. Employers smell the desperation and are less inclined to negotiate with employees as they will have the “pick of the litter”.

During this time, it is important that you maintain your dignity, trust your skill set, and know your worth. This situation is not a normal market downturn……rather it has been deemed an “Act of God” and things will get better faster than normal. The key is to focus on where you have the right to win and if you do not have the skills, then focus on developing or acquiring the skills you need to succeed.

When things turn around, and they will turn around, you will not regret the decisions you made, because you did not panic. Employers will eventually pay the price as well. Employers need to be incredibly careful how they engage their people during this pandemic, those that abuse their employees will pay the price once things get back to normal. Abused employees have memories like elephants.

Resume Critique

Everyone has received the email from the resume writing firms and ignored them because you were in a “safe place”. Well our venue has changed now and now is a great time to engage an expert resume writer and position yourselves for success. This means taking a hard look at updating your skills, I have heard some people say “I haven’t updated my resume in years” do not be that person. Along with the resume, a nice cover letter goes a long way as well.
We are living in the AI (Artificial Intelligence) age of employment with the ATS (Applicant Tracking System) eliminating candidates based upon keywords. Having a dynamic resume that is tailored to the job description makes a big difference in the selection process. Take the time to invest in yourself and position yourself for success. If you have not interviewed in a while, find a friend, spouse or neighbor and conduct mock interviews.

Executive Coaching and Mentoring

These two roles are totally different and are often confused to be one and the same. A mentor will tell you what you should do based upon sage experience and advice. An executive coach will listen and listen and listen (not a typo) which will enable you to make the decisions that are most prudent for you. Executive coaching is a collaborative process focused on producing results. While the approach is systematic, the effective coach knows each person they coach will have different triggers and emotions, which is why the listening component is so crucial to the coaching relationship.

The goal of coaching is to produce self-directed learning, which leads to personal and professional growth. Regardless of which you choose, find a trusted person that can speak into your life and provide you with a perspective that will produce growth, development, and wisdom. Bottom line, if you do not have a mentor or a coach, I strongly recommend you get both…. ASAP! The ability to share our thoughts is critical to your sanity. We cannot walk around stuffing things in and attempting to problem solve on our own.

This too shall pass; we will get over the current state and we will recover. Set yourself up for success!