Resist Putting All Your Eggs into One Basket

Three weeks ago I found myself well into the process of potentially secuing a job in which I was very interested.  After two months of meeting with the recruiter, interviewing with key personnel, filling out questionaires and completing a rigorous leadership skills assessment, all signs indicated I was on the verge of landing a great job with a great organization.  During this same period of time other opportunities presented themselves to me as well.  While part of me wanted to just focus my time and energy on the job that appeared more and more imminent, another part of me thought it wise to continue discussions and follow up on leads with other potential employers.

I share this with you because in the end the "dream job" was one in which I decided to turn down.  In the final stages of making the decision, it became clear that while the job was ideal and well suited for me, it would have created an imbalance in my personal life and distracted me from giving my full attention to the job. And that would not be right for me nor for my new employer.  A difficult decision, yet one which I now know was the right one.

Fortunately, I listened to the part of me that challenged me to continue to follow up on every lead and referral.  So while I don't have a job lined up for the first of the year, I am in various stages of process with a few other employment opportunities.  Had I not taken that course of action, I would probably be approaching the new year with no job prospects, no upcoming interviews and no enthusiasm for what lies ahead.

While the road before me is still uncertain, one thing that is very clear is that until a contract or letter of agreement is signed, sealed and delivered I will continue to pursue every job lead, new conversation or creative thought that comes to mind.  Today I sent out my second update to my network of friends and colleages.  With the holidays upon us and after 15 weeks of transitioning, I felt it was the right time to reconnect with this important group of people so that they keep me top of mind.  I gave them some suggestions for what they could do to help and also provided them with a few examples of the type of jobs and professions in which I would be best suited.

The new year brings excitement of wonderful possibilities but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.  So keep in mind the immortal words of Yogi Berra, "It ain't over til it's over!"

Happy Holidays!