Wherever You Go, There You Are
What does the quote wherever you go, there you are mean to you? That quote came to mind the other day and I’ve been mulling it around from the perspective of a job seeker since.
Just how far would you go to get a job in these trying times? Would you lie? Would you cheat? Would you falsify information? Would you misrepresent yourself? Would you fake your references? Would you create a job history that was untruthful? Would you pretend to have a supervisor that never was? Would you create an employment background that didn’t exist? Would you order a degree you didn’t earn? Would you provide a phone number to a reference who turns out to be your best buddy posing as your former boss? Would you ask your friends, family, or professional network to lie for you just to get ahead in today’s super-competitive job market?
Wherever you go, there you are…what does that mean to you? I don’t know what it means to you, but here are a few ideas of what it means to me:
* You can try and be something you are not, but in the end (and in the beginning), you might as well let others see the real you. Wherever you go, there you are. And if the real you with your real assets and your real liabilities isn’t the right fit for the opportunity at hand, keep moving, keep rolling, until something else materializes. As your Uncle Bob may have told you, there are plenty of fish.
* You cannot run away from your problems and challenges. You can try, but they will still be with you…wherever you go, there you are. Looking for a job is incredibly hard work and unbelievably overwhelming in this market. That said, do not compound your problems by letting them fester until you’re in a real mess — address them, take action; recognize and resolve.
* Love your brand or leave it! If you don’t like brand you, re-brand yourself; it’s never too late to do so, whether you’re 22 or 62. Just as companies are scrambling to change in order to survive in today’s bottom-line driven global market, so too can you. It is not easy to re-brand yourself; it can be done if you are committed to change to survive. Wherever you go, there you are.
Edgar Albert Guest, one of my favorite poets, wrote these 20+ lines in a poem titled Myself. His words of long ago are a good reminder for the job seeker of today…wherever you go, there you are…
Article by, Billie Sucher and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.
