Mark Hirschfeld

I talked to someone recently who was successful in a sales role that required quite a bit of travel. At one time he was fine with that, but he recent changes in his personal life made him question whether life on the road was still okay.

It turns out, the answer, right for him now, was no.

Our priorities will change, and because of that our career goals will change:

~ Perhaps you used to like working on your own, but would rather be part of a team…

~ Or you didn’t mind a commute, but would rather find a job closer to home…

~ Maybe you were okay with a compensation plan that was more variable but would prefer something more consistent.

As you pursue your next role, make sure your priorities and what you would value in a job are aligned with your current thinking.

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As if it wasn’t difficult enough to be unemployed, there is research which provides evidence there is a bias to hiring people who don’t have a job.

Why the bias?

According to the research and my personal experience, some employers see unemployment as a “scarlet letter”, where somehow your lack of a job is a reflection on your character. Just because you don’t have a job doesn’t mean that, but the bias will be something you will need to manage.

Some ideas to lessen the bias:

· If you can, make it less personal: “As you may know, several people were laid off because of the pandemic”.

· Get multiple references from former employers.

· Network with employees who work where you are interviewing and establish a level of rapport.

· And, of course, be prepared to tell your story of your accomplishments.

I wish there weren’t biases in the hiring process, but they exist. Control what you can and make your case.

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You’ve seen these books, right? There are dozens of “Chicken Soup” books, but that wasn’t always the case. Jack Canfield reportedly got 144 rejection letters before he finally got a yes.

And the rest is publishing history.

I hope you don’t get 144 rejections before you find your job, but rejection is part of the process.

It never feels good.

So what can you do?

• Ask if an employer who rejected you will offer some feedback and keep what they say in mind.
• Ask networking contacts for feedback, including what they know about you and what they know about employers you are targeting.
• Continue to work your plan, every day, recognizing that you are taking steps that are within your control.
• If you have difficulties that impact your mental health, seek help.

It’s a new day for you. There’s a employer out there looking for you.

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The psychologist Carl Jung said: “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.”

There will be people you meet in your job search that might even have tested the great Dr. Jung, but his admonition rings.

Along the way you will meet networking contacts, recruiters, hiring managers and others who will say or do things that will irritate you.

Lean in, just for a bit, into the irritation.

~ Is there a certain topic, perhaps of your work history, that makes you uncomfortable?

~ Is it something about the person? Is there a bias you have for which you are not aware?

~ Is it something about the setting? There are some work environments, for example, I’ve found to be less comfortable for me.

Early in my career I learned that I wasn’t comfortable with conflict. It irritated me. But over the years as I’ve come to appreciate and see the value in conflict, it is a bit easier for me to understand that the irritation I’m feeling might take me and others to a better place of understanding and action.

Don’t immediately dismiss some of those irritating moments. Reflect on them. Learn from them. Help them strengthen and inform you on your job search and beyond.

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… and you’ll break your mother’s back.”

As a kid I once tempted fate when I was upset with my mom. I stepped on a crack.

Her back didn’t break, but I still avoided cracks.

Irrational thinking, right?

As you consider your job search, you too will need to face some irrational attitudes that may be getting in your way:

• “I’m too old”, or “I’m not old enough”, or
• “I don’t have the right experience”, or “I’m too experienced”, or
• “There aren’t any jobs out there”, or
• “You can’t change industries”.

Although each of these mindsets may have a grain of truth, not exploring an opportunity because of these attitudes may really hurt your search. Your attitudes would be good to discuss with your coach or job search support group.

Maya Angelou said: “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”

What attitude do you need to change?

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My father, Lenny Hirschfeld, ran a clothing store which, by the way, has been in operation for over 100 years.

He could tolerate a customer buying a necktie from him that did match a suit, or he’d let it slide if you didn’t buy a new belt even though your mid-section had grown past it.

But for him, putting shoes on a person that didn’t fit was a step too far.

He would say: “If your shoes don’t fit, your feet will hurt. And if your feet hurt, then your mood will change. And who knows how you’ll treat people if your mood has changed.”

So if you sold shoes at Hirschfeld’s, you learned to fit them properly.

That was a standard. And in the eyes of my dad, doing the job right reduced down board consequences, such as customers who are grumpy because they have sore feet.

What is a standard in your work, which if it’s violated can have consequences beyond your actions?

I’d bet there’s a number of them.

If you’re looking for a job, think through times when you acted in a way that reduced or eliminated those down-board consequences. Prospective employers will be impressed by someone who has thought about those things, as that can be a differentiator in a competitive market.

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You’ve gotten yourself an interview for a job you’re excited about, but you get a sense you might not be their “ideal” candidate. You may have a skill gap, or perhaps you don’t have experience in the industry.

Here’s an idea—address their potential concern head on.

If you go through the interview and they haven’t asked about “the elephant”, you might want to say something like: “You may have concerns about me being a candidate for this job. Let’s talk about them.”

And, of course, you will have practiced the answer to the elephant question, acknowledging you may be a different candidate but have the skills and experience that can make you a great fit.

I’m not the kind of person who likes to let an elephant get too comfortable in the living room. Address the potential concern head on, tell your story, and put your best foot forward.

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