Foreword
This book is a framework for your Christian job search. All the detailed tools are not provided here, but there is a mental, emotional, physical, and financial framework that will provide a platform that has order and will enable you to create the infrastructure for your successful journey towards your destiny. This book came out of my own experience of walking through a time of when I was not working and was able to focus full time on this journey and learn fairly soon what worked and what didn’t work. You will not have to go through that learning curve if you apply as needed the points outlined in this book. All the best on your journey.
Assessing Your Situation
Okay, so you received the news. Your services are no longer needed, required and/or desired. You been right sized, downsized, or out-sized. Bottom line, you are out of that situation. Congratulations, you have been promoted fast forward into the rest of your life. What, doesn’t feel good? It’s similar to having your car accelerate without warning and you don’t have your seat belt on. Yikes, what happened? I wasn’t expecting that. You quickly grab your seat belt and hang on for the ride. You had wanted some type of warning. But isn’t this better than going nowhere slowly? This is similar to the way you felt when you are thrust out of your job. No more automatic pilot, up at 6 or later, shower, dress, daily commute, workday and when the day is over do the same process in reverse. So you no longer have this structure or the compelling reasons to conform to this structure.
You have no road map. The ride has stopped rather suddenly and you have been kicked off the train. Where did that come from? I didn’t plan for this stop. Well, someone planned for it. You just didn’t receive that email, instant message or it didn’t display on your palm pilot, iPod or come through your Blue-tooth. Well, no matter, it is squarely in your face now.
The challenge is what are you going to do about it? Yes, you. You are the chief executive officer of your life. You are in the starring role. Going stage left is unacceptable. This is not a role you want to delegate, do you? I believe you can’t effectively delegate this role and achieve any measure of long term happiness or joy.
Now you understand your role, what’s next? Think this is worst the thing in the world? You are now in a position you didn’t plan for, expect or want and it’s a space that lacks definition, right now. But this can also be the greatest opportunity of your life or a moment of dread and sadness. You decide which it will be. Is the glass half full or half empty?
This is a crucial moment. Don’t blow it. I am going to give you the answer that sets the stage for your success. You must see this as an opportunity to architect and change things in a way that may not come again. If you reject it now, at some point you must come back to this step to move forward in a constructive way on your journey to success toward your destiny. The longer you delay in adopting the correct attitude, the longer your journey to getting positioned for your wildly successful life. You will be the chief architect of your success. So why choose a self discovery journey for six months or more to only find you were given the right answer initially? Don’t confuse not being comfortable with the right answer with the need to discover the right answer.
This is now your full time job. Your goal may be seeking full time employment in corporate America to allow your intrapreneurial energy to be expressed in a corporate setting or creating the right opportunity or as an entrepreneur in a franchise or a totally new business. You are the key, the CEO, and others will follow your lead in a supporting role.
Now be thankful things aren’t worse, Celebrate the fact that you are alive and have a measure of health, and all these other good things, family, friends and colleagues who are standing by you to help. You may feel alone or alienated from some in the company you just left. Don’t focus on a half full glass. As you move to other phases of this journey, your confidence in your choice will increase if you are now skeptical. Confidence in this choice will increase as you move through succeeding phases.
At the end of each chapter, homework and scriptures are provided to propel you forward into moving from information you have read to actions needed to get you to desired result and on the path of your destiny. You will reduce the time needed to achieve you desired results the sooner you embrace actions needed to gain traction on this journey. Space is provided for personal notes, thoughts that may come as you read/reread ahead each chapter as this is a personal journey. No two journeys are the same even though there are parallels.
Let us begin this journey.
Homework-Scriptures to Meditate
Homework:
Assess your current skill level:
Reference material to help in this task:
Books
What color is your parachute? by Dick Bolles
Other Info-Old resumes with job experiences, job performance appraisal, job references
Skill Assessment Helpful Websites:
JobHuntersBible.com:
I’m your guide to this JobHuntersBible Web site. This site is designed as a supplement to my book, ’What Color Is Your Parachute?’ www.jobhuntersbible.com/ -
http://www.learning4liferesources.com/free_career_planning_sites.html-very extensive material, free assessment testing,
http://careerplanning.about.com/-info on changing careers, etc
Entrepreneurial Planning
Books/Magazines
INC magazine for entrepreneurs
Websites
How to Start a Small Business, Small BusinessStartup - Entrepreneur.com.
Business Ideas - Startup How-To Guides - Startup Basics
www.entrepreneur.com/bizstartups/index.html -
Small Business Administration - Small Business Planner
Business plan tutorial and outline provided by the US Small Business Administration. www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/index.html
Scriptural References for Encouragement
Review the following scriptural references to bolster your attitude, and even more if you are truly discouraged as you look at your circumstances. These scriptures are from the King James Version of the bible:
Strength-I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, Philippians 4:13
Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. 1 Chronicles 16:10-12
I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 18:1-3
Comfort-God is the father of all comfort, 2 Corinthians 1:3
Freedom from fear- For God hath not give me the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind 2 Timothy 1:7
Business Success-This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Joshua 1:6
Prosperity-Beloved I wish above all things you may prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers. I II John 3:2
Personal