We all have played it safe one time or another.  Whether you are safely tucked away in a nice job or have settled for a mate who at least takes you off the dating scene, we all have our own unique “risk level” which dictates the choices we make or are willing to take in our attempt to keep what we have and follow the status quo.  Every now and again it’s good to shake it up even if you are not sure the outcome.  Playing it safe doesn’t always get you want from your career or in other areas of your life. When do you know it’s the right time to move out of your comfort zone and risk what you have now for the potential of something much better in the future?

We all have been charged with picking up the sword to fight the good fight whether we are drawing the battle lines or not.  It’s always a good idea to have a plan in the event that you are called into action lest you be caught off guard.  This strategy applies whether you are fighting a health scare, personal loss or a change in your career.  It’s always good to know what propels you into battle before the appropriate boundaries are drawn.

One of the most under valued skills during the interview process is the ability to LISTEN!  This applies whether you are the job seeker or the interviewer for that matter.  What is that?  Yeah, I said it, “Listen Up!”  Talking, multi-tasking, distractions, or moving too fast forces you to derail quicker than any express train traveling through downtown.  The more you listen the more you learn.  When you listen you do so for non-verbal queues as well.  While some of you are natural listeners, other folks may need to be interrupted, or physically gagged in order to get a word in.  Which one are you?

It’s important to find out what makes you tick, but realizing that there are some fundamental outliers at play helps you to manage your expectations and come to the table ready to be present and make the most of what you have to offer.  If you are tired of being pushed and pulled and feel like a leaf in the wind blowing from one vacant lot to another, try applying the “Four C” principles to your career and see if you it provides you with a foundation on which to build your career castle.

There is a fine line between holding onto false hope and living in a perpetual state of denial. Here is where I’d like to introduce you to acceptance. Here is where I’d like to introduce you to acceptance. Acceptance means that you can’t alter how events play out in your life or the way people will behave towards you in any given situation, but you do have a choice in how you will react to those situations.

How desperate are you really?  Would you sell your soul for the right opportunity? Would you get a divorce, cheat on your significant other, steal, or lie for money, fame or a corner office?  What lengths would you go to in order to secure your future career aspirations?  It was recently reported where Yahoo! CEO, Scott Thompson falsely claimed a computer science degree on his resume to land his job.  Not that it may have helped him in his long-term career goals, but it certainly added a credential to his resume when he needed it.  What would you do in order to land your perfect job?

Sometimes you walk in cocky and so sure of yourself that you may wonder why you even need to interview for the job in the first place?  Come on already you can’t be that good?  It’s great to possess self-confidence and to be self-assured when you are handling the interview process so well, but how do you really know you are acing the interview or living up to a higher standard?

Here are five ways to know you are hitting it out of the park whether you ultimately get a job offer or not:

Like any seasoned professional worth their weight in contacts, knowing who can help you when you need a job is vital to your long-term success no matter where you are in your career.  Creating your client list is like new business development; you need to know where the opportunities are when you go to sell your best commodity, yourself.

You may not think of yourself as a business but you should.  You are selling yourself each and every time you update your resume, pick up the phone, call in a favor, apply for a job or consider yourself for a promotion.  Don’t underestimate the power of who you are in relation to whom you know.  Developing your list of contacts and knowing how to skillfully and masterfully apply yourself to developing your relationships is key to being tapped for a job whether you are actively looking for one or not.  Remember EVERYONE is your client so begin treating people as if anyone can be a resource in helping you along the way to finding your next job.

A somewhat sad but true fact is that nepotism does rain rampant in the world of make believe and it’s better to know what you are up against when you apply for your next job or internship.  It’s not enough to have the right skill set but it’s even more important to have the right connections.  Finding a job is not as easy as it looks and you would think with the advances of technology, it might have gotten easier.  Not so.  The tried and true, “good old fashioned way” still holds court and finding your next gig is really about being “All In The Family.”

You may be at this job search thing for so long you are beginning to believe the stories they might be saying about you. Maybe they tell you that you are over qualified? Maybe they think you are asking for too much? Or, it could be that you just might be out of the game for so long you’ve lost your appeal along with your confidence? Others may see you as yesterday’s news but you are wondering if in fact your job search and all that it entails has become the stuff urban legends are made of?