It’s a new year. I’m safely assuming that getting a job is somewhere on that extensive checklist of New Year’s resolutions, especially for seniors who are set on graduation. The steps to securing employment may sound redundant and cliche by now. It’s a lot of the same-old information that anyone can learn or that almost everyone has been told repeatedly by concerned parents.
But I would like to offer a slight variation on the traditional to-dos of getting a job — whether it be an internship, a part-time position this spring or a coveted post-graduation job for when summer finally commences. Whatever your resolution, let’s make the job search entirely about 2013.
2012 has come and gone with its successes, failures and an uneventful Mayan apocalypse. It’s done and over. Now, you need to make 2013 all about you. Take complete ownership of these next 12 months and don’t let excuses get in your way. Uncertainty for what the future holds makes many aspiring job seekers hesitant to pursue opportunity; don’t let that happen to you. Embrace uncertainty and its strange proclivity for personal growth.
On that note, make it a habit to accept the following premise both in your daily life and job search: You can always count on change. I first heard this axiom a few years ago, and truthfully, I didn’t like it. It means no matter how adamant or deliberate you are in planning and scheduling, there is always a chance for disruption or redirection.
Whatever plans you have now and for the future, be one step ahead of the game by arming yourself with a prepared consciousness. With all of life’s subjectivities, this is a truth that a number of individuals downplay and may even ignore. Prepare yourself for change this year when the job search is riddling your mind. Don’t be afraid if you find yourself venturing into unknown areas or dabbling in unfamiliar fields. Welcome the possibility for something different and unexpected because it will enrich the year of 2013 — your year.
And because 2013 is all about you, there is one more important element to making it yours. Start with a little silent reflection. Imagine for a brief moment all the inevitable change that is going to occur in the next 12 months. Difficult and a bit unsettling?
Resist the urge to shy away from this visualization exercise. Instead, find comfort in your talents, skills, accomplishments, attributes and the fellowship you share with others. These will help pull you through the year and give you the self-confidence needed to succeed in the job search. Because despite change, you can always rely on yourself.
It’s enough to have a plate full of resolutions and aspirations that make it seem like time is against you. A good, healthy starting point, I believe, is making 2013 yours and taking ownership of whatever unexpected detours and reroutes you encounter. Recognizing and embracing the beauty of life will make graduation a little less daunting for seniors and will lessen the stress of job searching for everyone else.
