The Six Stages of Unemployment: No. 3: Fear

There are some things you should be afraid of.
Jumping into a fire (except possibly to save a life), consuming poisons,  engaging in unwarranted fisticuffs, and trying to make sense of a conversation with someone who's drunk come to mind.
Should you be afraid when you no longer have a job?
Yeah!
Not having a job means your resources are limited in monetary and social terms. Not having a job means you have a reduced means of contributing to the world, at least in a conventional sense.
If you're NOT scared by those prospects, you're not paying attention.
What is the advantage to fear?
Fear helps us avoid reckless behavior in dangerous situations. That's good. It enhances our potential for survival.
However.
Fear also inhibits actions. Fear can immobilize.
As observed in past posts, lack of action is not a great path to take when engaged in a job search.
You need to be methodical and cautious, since your resources are at risk of being diminished or possibly depleted.
So you must accept the reality that this is a scary situation. But you can't let that stop you.
About seven years ago, I attended my first faculty in-service shortly after being hired at a new college.
During the "what did you do with your summer?" round-Robin, my new peers talked of travels, books coming out, family adventures, making films, applying for grants, and so much more.
At the time, my admiration was unbounded. I thought, "wow, these people are fearless."
While I still admire these people and their achievements, I no longer see them as fearless.
I've come to realize that they simply don't let their fears stop them.
When we are trying to replace a job, fear is not only natural, but inevitable. After all, getting the job in the first place was a big adventure, and it's easy to see having that position usurped as being powerless. Nothing generates fear quite like being without power, or seeing yourself as such.
But you must, as Yoda says, control your fear.
Act!
Take deliberate steps to change your situation. But while being deliberate and exercising reasonable cautions, don't let those cautions hinder you from taking new risks. Yes, the stakes are higher. But more to lose also means more to gain.
Next: Stage four, unless something happens between now and then.

How the wheel squeaks: networking and informational interviews

I haven't posted here for a bit. This blog is about coming to terms with the job search process, and sometimes that calls for a scattergun volley of the frustrations in the process. Other times it calls for introspection.



As I've worked with career counselors at one of my alma maters in the last few weeks, I'm beginning to realize an unexpected benefit to the part of this process at which I'm worst: networking.
The whole thing about networking and informational interviews eluded me. It seemed opportunistic.
You should be able to get a job on your own merits, right?
Sure.
But one of the up sides of the networking/informational interview thing is that those skills are also part of your merit set.
You're not hired solely due to your professional acumen in a field, unless it's a rare field in which you work in total isolation. You're also hired because your personality contributes something to accomplishing the goals of the organization that's taking a chance on you.
So continuing to hone the skills of being yourself through these two processes is also part of your career search.
It's also emotionally healthy.
One of the things that's most daunting about being out of work is that a big part of your life is gone. That's isolating. The more you can do to be in the world, the better off you'll be.
Doing informational interviews and networking, while not primarily social activities, both help to flex your social muscles.
When you do get another job, and you will, you're going to have to hit the ground running. It's in your best interests, and your employer's, to be as prepared as you can. Being in the world and interacting with others in any professional capacity is a great step in that process.
Like any muscle, it moves better when it's used more frequently.