Losing your job, especially when you are mid-late career, is one of the most difficult professional challenges a person can face. It’s a very complicated situation that not only impacts you professionally, but it impacts those closest to you as well. Yet, as complicated as the job search process is today, your success is dependent on one thing… and it starts with your approach!

It’s All About TRUST

You need to know you will land in a good place and you must TRUST yourself before anyone else will be willing and able to help you! You need to TRUST and believe that this moment in time, this time of unemployment, does not define you. Your family, loved ones, and friends define you. Your career and the successes you’ve had are part of what defines you. Your core values and beliefs are who you really are. This moment in time, this blip on the radar screen, which is what your unemployment is, will pass.

The TRUST Job Search Success Model

As with most successful endeavors, you need to begin with a plan or a systematic approach to your job search. The TRUST Job Search Success model can guide you through the process and help you get to where you want to be… and like any self-respecting model, TRUST is an acronym:

Take Inventory:

This is about being honest with yourself regarding your strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes. You need to know yourself and know what you really want… Not what you think you want.  You need to have a “Personal Brand” so you and your contacts can clearly and concisely communicate what you can offer to an employer to get you to the best place you can be as quickly as possible.

Resume:

You need to have a resume that grabs and keeps the attention and interest of the reader. It needs to clearly describe your experiences and the results you’ve produced in your career. Your resume also needs to be written so it will get through the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) if necessary.

Understanding Social Media:

It’s estimated that more than 70% of jobs are gotten through networking and social Media. LinkedIn® is the key to building a strong, productive, professional network.

Stars:

This stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result and So why am I telling you this? You may know about this process for answering interview questions, but do you use it? Do you practice it, and can you turn any bullet point on your resume into a STARS response?

Trust the Process:

Looking for a new job is hard. It can be discouraging and frustrating, but when you have a process and a plan that you believe in, you will have the confidence necessary to help you land your next position.

Most successful projects or programs start with a plan and a process. The job search is no different. When you have a process, you will be able to focus your efforts and message in a way that will lead you to the same success you’ve had throughout the rest of your career.