Right Job, Right Now The Complete Toolkit for Finding Your Perfect Career

Chapter One Getting StartedReady, Set, Go Jason is a thirty-year-old working professional.* His dad's birthday is tomorrow and Jason, total slacker that he is, hasn't bought him a gift yet. His time is limited so he heads over to the local mall on his lunch hour. He wants to get a great gift but he has no idea what to buy. He hasn't talked to his sister to see what she is buying, he hasn't called his mom to ask for suggestions, and he hasn't done any online research for any ideas. Like many men, Jason dreads shopping, so he's not familiar with the shops in the mall. When he gets there, he walks in and starts wandering. He assumes he knows his dad well enough to find something he will like. Jason rambles from store to store looking for the perfect gift. Time passes quickly and before Jason knows it, he has ten minutes left on his lunch hour and no gift. Finding himself in the department store, he settles for a shirt and tie. He pays quickly and walks out disappointed. He has a gift that he knows his dad will use, but it's not what he wanted. He also knows he didn't get to half the stores in the mall. There is a way Jason could have made his search for a present much easier. You know those mall directories that have those big "You Are Here" signs on them? Had Jason thought to consult one, he could have figured out where he was in the mall and what choices were nearby. Or he could have looked at all the options, gotten a gift idea or two, and then determined the quickest route to his destination. Jason probably didn't have to settle. This story isn't about a man's unfamiliarity with the mall. It's about knowing what you're looking for (in this case a gift) but not knowing exactly where you're going or how to get there. You can't merely say you need a gift and expect to find the perfect one. You have to research what the recipient might like, look at your store options, and make a plan for the time you have available. In the same way you can't say you need a job and expect to land the perfect one. You have to examine your options, make a plan to narrow them down, and find the right one. Ready . . . The Right Job, Right Now involves hard work, commitment, and action. There's no such thing as a silver bullet that will deliver your dream job after you read a few hundred pages. If you are truly frustrated with your career and willing to take action, you will get results! The source of career frustration can be any number of annoyances or difficulties. For Brandon, it's that jerk of a boss who makes waking up every morning equivalent to a trip to the dentist. For Julia, the only passion at work is on the afternoon soap opera video streaming to her computer daily. For Kristine, it's the nature of the work she has to dothe cubicles around her are filled with intelligent, mutually respectful colleagues, but she'd rather socialize by the water cooler than make another cold call to yet another prospective client. Complaining to anyone who will listen doesn't help. Your mom doesn't really understand what you do. "What exactly do you consult on, dear?" Your friends are about to start a collection to send you to a therapist (or maybe a new therapist), and when you talk about your job dissatisfaction your spouse looks at you with a blank stare that says, "I look like I'm listening but, really, I'm drowning you out." Perhaps you're about to begiStrayer, Susan is the author of 'Right Job, Right Now The Complete Toolkit for Finding Your Perfect Career', published 2006 under ISBN 9780312349264 and ISBN 0312349262.