Career Consultants Corp.

Knowing When It's Time to Give Up Your Job Search:
When to Say 'When'

For those who have been out of work for a considerable amount of time, there inevitably comes a point when they wonder if they should just stop looking and pursue an entirely different career path. Career management experts say the timing varies for each person, depending on their individual needs. For some who live in small towns or cities, the decision is made for them when the area's only major employer has closed down. For others, it is based on financial considerations, and the realization that they have to take any job to maintain their standard of living. Others reach this conclusion only after a year or more of searching.

As the trend toward outsourcing jobs overseas continues and with greater numbers of jobs eliminated in certain industries, it's not surprising that many job seekers have to consider going in a new direction. In a host of areas, from manufacturing to high-tech to engineering to defense contractors, jobs – and career opportunities -- have been lost.

It's devastating to be out of work for any length of time, but it's even more stressful when a job seeker realizes that he may never find a comparable position in his chosen field.

There are a number of issues to consider when facing this situation. Some obvious, but some that only each individual can assess to determine 'when to say when' in their career search. Professional career advisors offer the following check list for those to consider if they are out of work and wonder if they should switch careers:

When you've taken all of the right steps -- networking, working with
recruiters, attending job fairs, etc. -- with minimal results.
When you haven't had a job offer throughout your search.
When positions in your field are going overseas.
When industry is down in your area and you're unwilling to move.
When your financial situation requires that you find a job immediately.

Once an individual realizes that he or she must throw in the towel and start anew, career advisors offer the following basic steps:

Throw away your resume.
Throw away any preconceptions.
Look at new possibilities.
List the core skills of your past experiences.
Identify/find 6-10 of your core skills.
Identify the personality traits that apply to your work style, e.g., detail-oriented vs. big picture, fast paced vs. slow but steady, etc.

After an honest assessment of skills, experience and expectations, one can make a decision about how to restart and renew a career, whether in the same industry or in a totally new direction.

It's often beneficial to work with an objective career advisor who can help you figure out what to do next in terms of finding work that is financially and emotionally satisfying with the prospect of long-term employment opportunity.