The Employment Report

Watching my sister compete in a triathlon is one of the most exhausting things I’ve ever done. That’s right, watching the triathlon. I assumed triathlon viewing would be akin to attending a performance of some kind. Here’s what the whole deal looked like in my mind: sitting in foldout chairs at the finish/starting line while I cheered for my sister. That sounds reasonable, right? Au contraire, my friend. I was running all over the place, and I’m not the one who trained! Down to the lake–snap picture, cheer. Up to the transition area—snap picture, cheer. Run to the bike course—snap picture, cheer. Back to the transition area—you get the point. I was all over the place, panting, and loving it.

Now, obviously my workout that morning was a mere snippet of the exercise my sister experienced, but it was enough to show me how out of shape I was; my endurance meter was close to zero.

Many job seekers are also running low on endurance, because, let’s face it, job hunting is one of the most exhausting pursuits out there. Applicants are constantly putting themselves out there through interviews and resume/cover letter submissions, and these are things outside most people’s comfort zone. It’s tempting to give up when the job interviews aren’t coming or when the offers aren’t streaming in, but that’s where endurance comes into play. Keep the search going, try meeting with a recruiter, brush up on your interview skills, try new job boards, and make sure you have a professional cover letter and updated resume. Yes, it’s competitive out there but applicants who are prepared to finish the race strong are those most likely to secure solid jobs.

What do you think? Any tips for the weary job seeker?