Linsanity Everywhere!

Jeremy Lin, the former Harvard University basketball star turned instant phenom on the New York Knicks NBA team, has created quite a buzz in recent weeks. My interest in the NBA is minimal at best but I have been impressed with the instant marketing success this young man became almost overnight. As a sports fan, I realize that he could be a one hit wonder and fade into the woodwork quickly. That is not what is important to me right now.

My takeaway from this Linsanity madness is how a very unknown star from a school not usually known for its athletic successes turned into an overnight sensation and how this could be applied to candidates trying to add a little spark to their job search strategies. All too frequently, a candidate will contact me at my agency and tell me they have been out of work so long (time ranges from a month to a few years) that they are desperate and will work for minimum wage in an attempt to get back to their chosen field where they used to make much more ($40-100K+/-) and they practically beg for their resume to be sent out even if the job is a complete mismatch. As a career coach, people will ask to meet with me and lament that they have become complete failures since they sent out perhaps ten resumes in the last six months and no one called them for interviews.

Candidates need to sound less like the New York Mets organization (sorry Mets fans!) and more like Jeremey Lin and the Knicks! A good friend has been out of work for a few months and has sent out countless resumes and had some substantial interviews but not landed a job just yet. Whenever I ask how he is doing he responds that he is doing Great and never complains! Perception is 90% of the issue when job hunting. Before you all start telling me it is impossible to remain positive in such bleak times, I am here to tell you that it is essential to do so! If you cannot keep the energy level high (and I do understand how hard that is to do) then you need to get some help. Join a few networking groups, get out among people, find a career coach, talk with a clergy person, network with your friends and neighbors, do something to get the positive juices flowing through your body. I cannot promise instant success but I assure you it will go a long way toward getting you back on track!