| I was recently reviewing comments from | | | | 1. "Networking isn't vulgar. I never really |
| successful customers who cared to write us to | | | | understood that before." |
| share their job hunt experiences. Of course, | | | | |
| I heard mainly from those who had followed | | | | 2. "I'm now committed to the careful feeding |
| our program of alternative job search | | | | and watering of my network." |
| strategies. It's always encouraging to | | | | |
| discover that so many people found the | | | | 3. "I'll try to stay connected during good |
| alternative system so effective. | | | | times and support those who are going through |
| | | | hard times so that I'll have more folks to |
| But I wondered what it was like to struggle | | | | lean on (and feel better about doing so) when |
| with finding a job when you didn't use an | | | | I hit another rough patch." |
| alternative success system. So often we like | | | | |
| to dwell only on the glowing successes. Then | | | | But, what really struck me about this |
| I found the story of Tim Johnston who | | | | obviously dedicated worker and thoughtful job |
| chronicled his job adventure in the Wall | | | | hunter were his concluding thoughts. |
| Street Journal Career Journal. | | | | |
| | | | "Going forward, I'll critically view each |
| I won't go through the very real trials and | | | | work activity and project I engage in to |
| tribulations of his hunt. It was painful. | | | | determine how I can maximize value for my |
| It was rewarding. Ultimately it was very | | | | employer and myself, and how I can grow from |
| successful. What did strike me, however, | | | | the experience. If it isn't worth doing, |
| were his reflections on the job search a few | | | | I'll find a way to get it done quickly or not |
| months into his new job. | | | | do it at all. I'll build a solid record of |
| | | | accomplishments and not have to wonder quite |
| The first comment he made was, "Never let an | | | | as much about how I spent my time when I need |
| employer smell your desperation; it's | | | | to redo my resume again." |
| completely off-putting . . . . Be comfortable | | | | |
| with where you are and who you are, and | | | | It took Tom eight months to find a job. My |
| people will be drawn to you." | | | | only regret, as I read his compelling story, |
| | | | was that he didn't use The World's Fastest |
| He then goes on to report a couple things he | | | | Alternative Job Search System. I could have |
| wishes he had known before he got laid off: | | | | shown him how to shorten his job hunt to as |
| | | | little as two weeks! |