A relevant way to look at moving to the next career!

2. Recent E-Mail from a Client
“Speaking for my fellow job seekers, I think we are all serious
about wanting work, but more importantly, are we serious about
doing what is necessary to achieve the goal?
This is confession time (and no, I am not Catholic)―to date, I have gravitated
to what is easy and manageable, based on what I can cope with. With
several small children running around the house, I can't focus well at home
and working at Starbucks is almost equally distracting.
I totally agree that finding work is Project Management, for the simple
reason that most of us are probably not that good at managing
ourselves. We need tools, constructs and boundaries to guide and inform
our activities. As much as my sense of pride and professional capacity
hurts me to say it ... I need help!”

8. Emotional Highs
Emotional Lows

9. Emotional Highs
Activity/Effort
Emotional Lows

10. The root cause of most
job search failure?
lack of a serious game plan

11. Rise of the PMP Credential

12. So how would a professional, highly-trained project manager
approach this particular challenge?

13. Initiating
What is the objective?
What options are there to meet this objective?
Which option is the best one?
Who are the project stakeholders?
Is a formal go / no-go decision required?

14. Planning
What steps will you need to complete?
How much time will you need to commit?
What resources will be needed?
What will be the cost of this project?
Do you need to “contingency plan” for any risks?

15. Matt’s Planning Tips
 Have daily, weekly, and monthly action items
 Only include activities you can directly control
 Get serious; study the job hunting process
 Include professional development activities
 Build in breaks and vacation periods
 Establish new habits, schedules, and routines
 Write your plan down and run it by people

16. Executing
Who will take on what responsibilities?
How will you manage the other stakeholders?
How will you communicate your progress?
How do you maintain a sense of urgency/accountability?
What obstacles can you anticipate?

18. Monitoring/Controlling
What metrics will you need to track?
What tools will you use to conduct this tracking?
How will you measure accountability?
If you fall off the wagon, how will you get back on?
Are changes in your strategy needed?

19. Potential Tracking Tools
 Design your own paper-based system
 Use your favorite MS Office program or Google Apps
 Obtain Career Horizons Job Search PhD Spreadsheet
 Check out the tool at www.jibberjobber.com
 Check out the tool at www.jobfully.com
 See if WorkSource has any job search tracking tools
 Search www.download.com for other free programs

20. Closing
What final “knowledge capture” steps would be wise?
How will you communicate your success to others?
How will you celebrate achieving your objective?

21. The Takeaway?
Job hunting is like project management in
many respects, but not all.
It’s a process―and benefits from planning and structure.
Obstacles, plateaus, and setbacks are inevitable.
Communication about progress is key.
There are more stakeholders involved than just you.
Measuring and tracking are imperative.

22. The Takeaway?
And yet…
It’s more personal and emotional.
Many factors are completely outside your control.
You can’t quit or outsource this project to somebody else.
Tracking can become an avoidance mechanism.

23. I don’t
care
about
you

24. www.career-horizons.com
[free blog]
[free newsletter]
[professional career coaching]
[resume writing]
[corporate outplacement]