Are You Stuck In The Job Search Fog?

What does it feel like to be in a job search fog? Do you remember a time when you were in a physical fog, by a lake, at the airport, or on the highway?

When you are moving in a vehicle such as a car or boat and a sudden fog comes in, it can be terrifying can’t it? You are moving forward but you suddenly lose your sense of direction. This has happened to me at various times. Once I was sailing and a wall of fog came in. We had to shift to compass and maps in order to avoid getting lost, hitting a rock, or going straight out to the Atlantic Ocean from Narragansett Bay.

I have also driven in fog. This seems to be easier to just be able to pull over to the side if it gets bad, but we have all heard of the huge accidents that can occur when fog comes quickly on a highway. Lastly, I have been on a plane that landed in the thickest fog I had ever seen. I had no idea we were that close to landing when all of a sudden we landed. Imagine the surprise among the passengers. I will say I was grateful that day for the gifted pilots who knew what they were doing.

You get the idea… fog can be scary and hazardous to our health. Well how about the perceived fog that settles into our lives around our careers. We feel lost, without direction, and can’t see a foot in front of us. We have no idea where or how to take thenext step in our career or job search. The FOG has settled.

The career fog usually sets in when one of the below occurs:

• Major life change.
• Laid off from current job.
• Despise current company/job so much that you are compelled to make a change.

OK, so don’t get desperate, the fog always lifts! The question is how to navigate it and get out of it quickly. Here are some quick tips to help give you focus again:

Name Your Fear

If there is some, name it. It needs a name so it can be conquered.

Get A Plan Together

I like to call it a flight plan. A plan to find your next destination that will get you out of the fog and into clear skies. The destination can be a short term job jump, like a flight to a nearby island or it can be the longer term “perfect gig” that will feel more like an adventure.

Take Action

Be thoughtful but decisive. Here are some suggested actions you could start with: look for a career coach, attend a networking event, hop on a webinar, read a good career book.