Ups and downs

After quite a bit of internet silence, I've now decided that the challenges of employment hunting in a recovering economy and over-saturated job market, and all the baggage that goes with it is material enough for another blog. It won't tell tales of whale-spotting and majestic mountains (although arguably, finding a job is a challenge just short of climbing Everest) but hopefully it will help distill my thoughts and log my insights. I may well write about other things that cross my mind and day-to-day life.

I've always been fairly confident about my decisions, after I've made them that is. However, I am starting to doubt the choices of the past two years. Was it really a good idea to head off to Canada and hide out from the recession over there? Did I make a savvy escape, or did I just ensure I missed the boat when it finally came in? Has working at Ways with Words really given me good experience to offer future employers?

My most recent roles on the CV are all temporary. Whilst I worked hard in these, achieved results and got very positive feedback from my employers, I worry that all people see is a collection of temporary roles and cast their eyes to the next one on the pile.

And then of course, there's the vicious circle of negative feelings unemployment creates. You get rejected, or hear nothing -> you feel down and as if you have nothing to give -> you find it harder to sell yourself in the next one -> PR likes positivity and proactive people -> your application gets nowhere because if you don't believe in yourself, why should they?

Fortunately, before this turns into a massive downer, I'm acknowledging that a new battle plan is needed. I'm going on the hunt. To kick start me in this approach, I've enlisted a careers management consultant and I hope to get new insights and new ideas from the consultations. I left the initial meeting brimming with confidence in myself and my abilities, some of which has abated but I'm looking to get it back.

And so, in the words of Carlos Ruiz Zafon from The Angel's Game, time to dig my elbows in and squeeze my brain til it hurts.