Yes, it’s that time of year again. Time for NCAA March Madness! Time when we all get excited about our favorite team(s), do our homework, fill out our brackets and stay up until all hours of the night watching each and every game to see how well we did with our picks.
This whole process got me thinking about how closely it parallels the job hunting process. First, it is important to determine which company(ies) we would like to work for (select your favorite teams). Next, we have to do some research on each company to find out more about them – their strengths, weaknesses, mission and objectives (researching each team’s record, their wins and losses for the season, coaching strength, etc.) Then comes time to make calls, send letters and emails, and do the actual follow up to see what results we get (completing the brackets and watching the games). In some cases, we will get a good response (our team won!) and in others we will get rejected (our team lost!).
What is important in all of this, however, is not whether our teams win or lose. The real issue is whether we jumped in, took the risk, and filled out the brackets. Same holds true for the job search process – we have to do more than sit back and wait. We have to jump in, go for broke, take the necessary action, and be involved. Only by participating can we expect to get a result. Good luck with your picks!
Jay Mattern
COO, Peoplelink Staffing Solutions
