Joblessness can be disheartening. It affects our self confidence and relationship with the world. That is why every worthy attempt must be made to come out of it. We need to reconcile with the new rules of employment. As Lance Morrow observes: everything is a market, and security depends on your employability, vendor-mindedness (customer focus) and resilience.

We have to change and adapt constantly in order to survive in a ruthless global market. We have to see an opportunity in every problem. No one needs any training or practice to win in a raffle since chances of winning depend purely on the principles of randomness. Luck is the point at which opportunity meets readiness. Therefore, you must work out your abilities in readiness to the prize (the ideal job). The Jamaican Usain Bolt or Kenya's David Rudisha do not just walk into the stadium, sprint for a few seconds and win gold. They practice day and night, when most of us are sleeping. 

How do you get the job?

Using Lance Morrow's wisdom, you need to survey and recycle your D.A.T.A. by asking yourself some simple questions: What do I really want at this point in my life? A number of times I have been approached by well meaning persons to find them a job. The first question I ask them is, “What job do you want?” Some have told me, “I want any job.” With all due respect, such an answer would make it difficult for any employer to employ you. Suppose he tells you to unblock a sewer? Yes you can! But hang on a minute. There is nothing wrong with unblocking sewers. In fact, there are companies that employ people in their thousands for that kind of job  in every city I know of. My point? The owners of these companies, along with their staff know what they want. You must define what you want.

The next  thing  you  need  to  examine  is  your Temperament - What kind of person am I? In what kind of situation am I most productive and satisfied? Answering these questions will help you know the work environment which fits you. I work best in the quiet wee hours of the morning. I resent interruption. My brother works late into the night and can sleep to even past eight in the morning. A friend of mine works best outdoors, in the company of other people and relishes all the noise that goes with it. What about you?

You need to take stock of your Assets - What advantages do I have … or what aspects of my life history or life could I turn to my own advantage? Your assets are your strengths. They may include that college certificate, your friends and relatives, the seminar your participated in, that community service you offered and that personal problem you once solved. Make a list of all the possible advantages you have. Now ask yourself: How can I use each and or a combination of some or all of them to help me get the job I want?

The next question concerns your Abilities. Ask yourself: “What am I really good at? You need to know this in order to fit your abilities to what you want. You will realize that there is a lot you need to do to achieve a perfect fit between your abilities (gifts) and what you want. For example, you may need to acquire the training, skills and experience to position yourself in readiness for the opportunities you want to come your way. There is no short cut to the process of getting qualified.

Now that you have known what you want (desires), your  abilities,  your  temperament  and  your advantages (assets), in short  your d.a.t.a; one way to get you going is to begin giving your services free of charge. Sounds ridiculous? This is a time-tested truth. Getting what you want begins with giving out what you have.

Start by examining your time, considering your domestic obligations, and note how much free time you have throughout the day. There are high chances that you will have plenty of time at your disposal when you are jobless. Identify all the organizations within walking distance that would benefit from your services. A number of them would welcome your voluntary work. These include your church, a children's home, a hospital, a school, a police post, a supermarket, a restaurant… the list can be endless. You never know, you might just win favour in the institution where you volunteered.  However, do not volunteer with this objective in mind, for you might be disappointed when nothing of the sort is forthcoming. Begin with the institution whose needs most matches your abilities and negotiate a mutual plan of how you would add value to their needs by volunteering your skills and competence. The best plan is that which fits their schedule, not yours.

Another way you would reap is through a recommendation letter. If you serve diligently, you build your CV tremendously. Most employers would be pleased to learn that while you were “jobless” you did not just sit doing nothing. They call it community service or vocational experience. Working, by itself, earns you goodwill, and goodwill, in accounting terms, is an asset.

A third way you will reap is through networking. Remember, it is not just about people you know. It is about people you know who can put their reputation in the line by testifying that you can do what you claim you can do. Marketers call them “leads.” Such leads can only be interacted with at the workplace. They are called leads because they are likely to know a friend who knows a friend who works as a Director in the ideal organization that you desire to work in and is looking for someone just like you to go work there. They are willing and able to “lead” you to them. While technical know-how is a must in any competitive job, never underestimate the power of “technical know-who.”

In a nutshell, you need to take a step (action) to get what you want. As Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, “to reach a port we must sail, sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it. But we must not drift or lie at anchor.” If all these ideas do not work for you, perhaps you should consider creating your own job. Come to think of it; the (ideal) institution you now desire to work in was someone's creation.

By Victor Mutinda.