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Few movies have moved me on such a visceral level like “The Pursuit of Happyness” starring Will Smith. The movie is based on real-life events of Chris Gardner.

I recommend seeing it. Again.

This scene is his interview for his internship.

The Pursuit of Happyness – Job Interview

In this scene, it’s his last day of his unpaid internship. A truly inspiring one.

Best scene of Pursuit of Happyness

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1. Your Job Searching Success Story – with a Prescription

Authenticity is key in looking for work. Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, shares about that in this video (click to see embedded video):

Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you like the content here, please use them when purchasing.

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If you ask, most people in a job search probably hate getting asked this question.

I’m currently reading a book called Breakthrough! (affiliate link) by Paul Kurnit and Steve Lance.  It’s more of a business book, but the marketing principles are certainly applicable to those in transition. Chapter 1 of the books is ”How Ya Doin’?”

Job seekers are not alone in their dislike of the question. Paul and Steve say that question is one of the most feared questions people in business hear all the time as well. Without sounding like a complete advertisement for the book, I think there are some great things they share that can transfer to those in a job search. (Note: I originally came up with the idea for this post in the spring of 2010 before I’d even heard about the book.)

It should be easy, they say. After all there are only 5 choices, which I’ve adapted for the purpose of this post:

1. “Terrible.” If your job search isn’t what it could be or your career outlook isn’t what it used to be, what are you doing about it? Take stock of what you already have to offer. Then figure out a new game plan and transition into something else.
2. “Could be better.” This is probably what most of us would say. Whose fault is it that our search is the way that it is? The only one who can change it is you. Time to make a plan to make it better.
3. “Same old, same old.” What?! It sounds like rear-view mirror thinking. This is a dangerous spot to be in, because you could soon find yourself thinking that things will be okay in the future because they have been in the past.
4. “Great! Couldn’t be better!” Maybe things are going well for you in your search. Maybe you feel that everything is falling into place and you can just coast along. The truth is that, just as consumer brands need to develop and grow to stay at the top in their respective industries, so we ourselves as brands need to develop and grow to stay at the top in our respective industries.
5. “It’s great, but it could be better.” You should always be actively involved in creating what Matthew Kelly, author of The Dream Manager (affiliate link), calls “the best version of yourself.”

So, how’s your job search going?

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I know you’re hurting.

When I was unemployed and underemployed in 2003-2004, those were very dark times for me.  The stress of not being able to provide for my family overwhelmed me to the point where I became seriously depressed.  Seriously depressed. The pain I felt was nearly unbearable.  I found a psychiatrist and therapist and took some medicine and talked with other people. I was involved in a church community.

Depression clouds everything

Still, there were times I thought about ending it all. Yes, there were rare times of what they call “suicidal ideation“.  I was open about those thoughts and feelings.  I made myself accountable to others who would ask me:

• “Are you taking your medicine?”
• “Are you going to your appointments?”
• “How are you really doing today?”

Depression clouds everything, especially in a job search.  When you’re depressed you don’t feel like you have anything to offer anyone.  Maybe this hits us guys more than the ladies because we get so much of our identity from what we do for a living.  When that is taken away from us, we feel like part of our soul has been ripped out.

There are days you don’t even want to wake up.  You want the pain to go away.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Stay in the battle

Promise me something.  No matter how bad it gets – don’t give up.  Stay in the battle.  Look at yourself in the mirror – no, STARE DOWN the person in the mirror – and repeat these two statements of fact:

1. You are better than you think you are.
2. You can do more than you think you can.

The biggest reason I created the How I Got My Job project is for times like this. Surround yourself with success.  Just hearing that someone else got a job can give you hope.  Listen to these stories over and over again.  Let them sink into your consciousness as you begin to believe in yourself again.

Read this excellent article from Christopher S. Penn about How Your iPod Can Protect Your Mind.

Get help

Finally, get help. No man is an island.  We were made to be social creatures, and we need to get and stay connected with others.  We live in an age now where connecting online is so easy.  Even more importantly, though, get connected to people in-person.  You need to find people to meet up and network with.  Find people who will inspire and encourage you, people who are not afraid to tell it like it is.  Heck, feel free to get in touch with me. I try to make myself as approachable as possible.  Get some therapy if needed.

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To say I’m upset is an understatement. In this Utterz from the Road (player embedded above), I talk about a “Coaching Memo” I received today that could very well be the impetus needed for me to make a job move. Please check out http://danieljohnsonjr.com/

Related tags: getthatjob get+that+job job+hunt job+search career+advice networking professional+development daniel+johnson+jr

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Good morning, you wonderful people!

I have a decision I need to make about a job change very soon – even today. I was given a consulting-type job offer that I’m seriously considering.

So many things point to it being good; a lot of the opposites to my current position.

I’m working through concerns over whether I can really do this new job, because it’s different from what I’ve been doing. You see, in my current position, I get to be creative, and I’ve learned THAT is one of my strongest motivators.

I’m not sure that exists with this new job. But I’m considering taking it and then looking for something creative as a hobby outside of work. I mean, I already have creative hobbies outside of work, but continuing with them.

Another thing that strongly motivates me is that I can really do a good job at what I’ve been tasked to do; i.e., I want to set myself up for success in the work I do.

As I type that last sentence, it almost sounds like I’m limiting myself – maybe I am. In most of my adult life, I’ve not been one to take many risks, especially since I’m the primary breadwinner of our family.

Yet I can’t help think that this could be the Lord prompting me to “get out of the boat.”

I appreciate your thoughts and prayers and comments.

crossposted to Journey Inside My Mind Blog

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Chris at LifeHack.org recently shared some thoughts on effective networking (“Meet People NOT Business Cards – lifehack.org“). If you’re like me, you’ve tended to use these events as opportunities to amass a big collection of business cards. But that’s not the point of the meeting, really, is it? Here are my comments to the article:

I hear you, Chris. I just read something along the same lines in Keith Ferrazzi’s book Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time. If you collect a bunch of business cards without making a personal connection, you’re left with a phone list from which to make cold calls.

Now, let’s transfer these thoughts into collecting contacts on internet social networks, okay?

I see people blindly adding friends on social networking sites like MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, and others, the same way people collect business cards. There are various reasons to do this; the most obvious is to make themselves look important, which is something that motivates some people. If people see someone with lots of contacts, they will begin to think of them as an expert in their field. I’m a bit torn on this myself, to be honest.

Just remember that the personal connection is what matters. What are you doing right now to make and reinforce the personal connection with your contacts? What are your thoughts on the effectiveness of amassing large numbers of contacts?

Related tags: getthatjob get+that+job job+hunt job+search career+advice networking social+networking daniel+johnson+jr

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Okay, I realize this might sound a bit weird…

Some of you may know that I host and produce the Journey Inside My Mind Podcast, which I have done for over a year now. At the end of the theme, before the opening monologue, I have an audio clip that I created that goes like this:

Man:What happens when a man goes through his own portal?

Woman:We’ll see.

Announcer: Get ready… here’s Dan Johnson!
(applause and sound of kids cheering)

I love having that clip because it gets me charged up and ready to move on with the show.

I recently have started using that same audio clip as the Start Windows sound for my computer. So now, as I boot up my machine and log in, I get introduced!

Like I said, it may sound a bit weird. Maybe even a little corny. I don’t care. It charges me up for doing work.

What does this have to do with a job search? Well, in the same way, we all are the stars of our own show. Every day you get to live is a new palette for you to carve out a masterpiece. I think that how you approach it says a lot for your effectiveness. Sometimes we need something to inspire us to get started.

What inspires you to make it a great day?

Related tags: getthatjob get that job job hunt job search career advice networking professional development dan johnson attitude motivation inspiration jimmpodcast

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You’ve received no phone calls or contacts about jobs for which you’ve applied. You search job listings and don’t find openings that match your qualifications and experience. You might start to feel down.

I know because I have been there, am there, and will be there again. How can I get myself back up?

I think I need to give myself a pep talk. You might feel the same.

Every day and maybe throughout the day, I’m going to look the man in the mirror right in the eyes and say, “You are important. Your work is important. You are valuable. Someone wants to pay you for what you have to offer.”

I believe that. I’ve been working on believing in things that are not as tangible as I’d like them to be. I’ve started thinking big and dreaming big.

If I let myself get caught up in negative energy, it will eventually lead to more and more inaction.

“Your work is important. Someone wants to hire you. You just haven’t met each other yet.”

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getthatjob get+that+job job+hunt job+search career+advice networking professional+development dan+johnson pep+talk self+image believe+big dream+big mind+change

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“Anyone who sees in his own occupation merely a means of earning money degrades it; but he that sees in it a service to mankind ennobles both his labor and himself.” — A. Lawrence Lowell, also posted at QuotesBlog

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