Marc Cenedella
Founder & CEO
TheLadders.com, Inc.

Every week I receive tons of emails from friends and colleagues. While there are way too much for me to read, every now and then one will catch my eye as the aforementioned quote has.

Fear is running rampant and our nation is being called to to live with less while we huddle close and hope the monster of unemployment will pass by our doors. The crisis will eventually pass but the question remains how gracefully will get you get through it?

Just like Marc Cenedella, I urge you to focus on one thing; take control of your career and let go of what is beyond your power. What you can control is:

- Your attitude: Like any other project, every great job begins with an achievable vision.
- Your process: Finding a job that best matches your unique qualifications and skills requires you to create and stick to a strong project plan, schedule and specific milestones.
- Your resume: Always, always, always keep it current. You never know when your next great opportunity will appear.
- Your network -: Creating an active job search team means that you will keep in touch often, be both a generous giver and a gracious receiver. Coach your friends, family, colleagues and peers in the specifics, i.e. your goals and how they can help you achieve them.
- Where you look: When used properly, the internet is a great tool for finding employment. Make a list of employers you are interested in working for and look under the “Careers or Join Us” section of their websites.
- Your knowledge: Whether it is learning a new technology or completing your PMP, you must commit to being a lifelong learner to stay competitive in this market.
- Your image: From your head to your toes present a professional image. Always make sure your shoes are polished, your clothes are neat and crisp, you are well groomed and your smile is broad and welcoming.

But we’re alone now, and I’m singing this song for you

Not to date myself, I saw Leon Russel perform this song at the Nassau Coliseum over 30 years ago. And like the song, I’ve made some bad rhyme…Or have I? For sanity’s sake, I’ve chosen to view many of my decisions as stepping stones on the road to something better. Whether I am an eternal optimist or just a plain old Polyanna, I believe that when I view my past decisions as being bad or wrong I am rejecting a part of myself. Every decision I’ve ever made has brought me to my current place and time. Therefore, I am launching this blog with a few ideas on preparing for a rewarding career or job change.

Everyday I coach people who are faced with difficult decisions about their lives and careers. Good, smart people, who want to improve their lives. Some are anxious to get to the next stage of their careers while others are so paralyzed by the thought of change that they can’t get out of the starting gate. Regardless of where you are emotionally, change takes time and is most effective when made a step at a time.

Like a storm that is brewing change is precipitated has its own signs. Come Monday morning, you might feel an ache in the pit of your stomach because things are not the same at office. Perhaps you find yourself arriving later and leaving earlier because you no longer feel challenged. Your organization might be in the process of restructuring and you find yourself wondering how long it will be before you’re included in the exodus. Perhaps you’ve recently experienced a major life event such as the birth of a child or have entered a new decade of your life. Whatever the catalyst, it is okay, even healthy to stretch yourself. The trick is to be clear as to your intention.

Wilkipedia defines intention as a course of action that a person intends to follow. Miriam Webster defines it as 1. Determination to act in a certain way; 3. What one intends to do or bring about. Before you start sending out résumés, I advise you to answer the following questions:

• What will a career or job change mean to you?
• What do you want more of in your next position?
• Where do you see yourself one year from now? Two years? Five?
• Are your goals S.M.A.R.T. – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Tangible?

Gaining clarity is only the first step on the road to a new career. If you have made or are contemplating a career or job change I invite you to share your comments here.