Comments on: Paradigm Shift Part II – Is It Really Job Search “vs.” Career Management

By: Brad Attig

Brad Attig — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 10:40:32 +0000

Jason,

I think it is important to realize that career management and the associated tasks and skills aren’t just used when looking for an external next job. Career management can be just as important within your existing company.

Think of it this way, your next promotion at ABC Inc. could be your next job. What about a position in the European Division? New title, new duties, more responsibilities, bigger office or computer screen. More MONEY or RECOGNITION or whatever rocks your boat?

Expanding your network and keeping it warm is an excellent habit to develop. Building relationships inside your company and the industry should be happening all the time. Being the Subject Matter Expert within your current company is a good thing, in your industry, most excellent. Researching the competition is just plain smart business.

If you practice smart career management in your own company while employed, you will have more tools, or arrows in the quiver I like to say, when or if you have to look outside. Doing this will hopefully prevent you from a crisis job search or at least make it as painful as possible.

By: Nadine Turner

Nadine Turner — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 02:30:08 +0000

loved the article. As a person in transition, I can say that â€œshiftâ€ happens when we have time to pay attention to it (read: out of a job). For sure, itâ€™s a great mindset at any time and my preferred mindset at that. Unfortunately, reality is a real buzz kill when it comes to evolution. Still the point is well taken.

Nadine Turner
http://www.jobster.com/people/nadineturner

By: Nadine Turner

Nadine Turner — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 02:28:46 +0000

I loved the article. As a person in transition, I can say that “shift” happens when we have time to pay attention to it (read: out of a job). For sure, it’s a great mindset at any time and my preferred mindset at that. Unfortunately, reality is a real buzz kill when it comes to evolution. Still the point is well taken.

Nadine Turner
http://www.jobster.com/people/nadine turner

By: Pete Johnson

Pete Johnson — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 23:51:12 +0000

I guess I see these as two extremes on a continuum as opposed to being one of two modes that you are in. Depending upon how well things are going in your current job and what the stability of your company is or even what other life events might be going on, you might place yourself at different points along that curve at different times in your career.

While it’s certainly dangerous to be too close to “Job Search”, you might be wasting your time in other instances being on the far end of “Career Management” too. There’s a balance in there somewhere and you have to judge for yourself what that balance is given your situation. At a minimum, I’m a firm believer in thinking what at least your next career step should be even if you aren’t actively taking steps to achieve that for whatever reason.

—Pete
http://nerdguru.net

By: Matt Blevins

Matt Blevins — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 21:00:09 +0000

I love the career management concept Jason – it’s simple, but it’s too often ignored by job seekers. Sorry if I initially oversimplified your point, but as you see, I came back to explain a bit better! And certainly, I do have my reasons for stressing the importance of job search (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)…

By: What practical things do you do every day to manage your career? | More than a living

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 20:15:14 +0000

[...] (Hat tip to JibberJobber) [...]

By: Daniel Johnson, Jr.

Daniel Johnson, Jr. — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 18:31:13 +0000

Thanks for sharing my comments, Jason!

I’ve noticed that I have posted more at Get That Job! when I’ve been unemployed than when I’ve been employed. Part of that has been because I was posting resources I’d find throughout my job search, and that was the initial point of me starting the blog.

Now as with the rest of career management, I’m posting and doing whatever I can in between moments of work at my job. Go figure.