Let me count the ways.  Am I my resume?  Am I a brand?  Am I desperately seeking someone to show me the way?  If you are as confused by how you should define who and what you represent to the job world, get in line.  Most people today don’t know whether they are defined by the accomplishments listed on their 3-page resume or the idea that they should somehow convince themselves they are a brand like any common household product! Knowing who you are is important of course, but knowing what you stand for when faced with your inevitable job search is essential.

You may have heard the phrase,"Greed is Good" as uttered by the money-broker tycoon in the 1987 hit movie “Wall Street”.   It was a phrase often used to chastise those who cherished materialism over core values. Hey, it was the ’80’s, there was a recession and the world was at war and wait, does this sound vaguely familiar?  Well, it very well may be like the ’80’s when you think of our current economy, but one thing is for certain when it comes to looking for a job and pulling out all the stops, let me just say one thing, "Greed is Good."

Remember when you felt secure and comfortable knowing that you were on the right career path, confident that the job you held was going to hold you long into retirement.  Well, wake up now, that dream was a good one while it lasted. There comes a time in everyone’s life where the dream and reality take a sharp contrasting turn. In the midst of this struggling economy, where you may find yourself without a job, wondering what you did wrong and if you could just do it over again you would have played your cards right.  Anything, so as you don’t have to look for another job again.   Breaking up is hard to do but going back to what wasn’t working is even harder still.

Sometimes you think you know how you come across to others but you don’t.  You may think you rock in your presentation skills, or present a cool and calm presence or think you are a superstar when it comes to nailing a job interview.  When was the last time you went on a job interview and what was the outcome?  I thought so!  If you’ve been pounding the pavement and think you are just doing fine networking your butt off then think again.  If no one has offered you a job or even given you a second look, chances are you are not the picture perfect job candidate you may think you are.

Wondering what it would take to succeed in a time when so much is riding on your ability to survive? Nothing can stand in your way of getting what you want from your career than a little determination, a strong will and well, a mission to succeed at all costs. Finding your passion and sticking to it, no matter the odds, channels the way and allows a line of sight to appear out of a cloudy career path. Knowing that you will do what it takes to see it through to achieve your goal, whatever that may be, is the fighter instinct you need to develop in order to realize true success.  Do you have true grit to see it through and find the job you were meant to do?

Knowing when to put yourself on the line for what you believe in these days can be a precarious task.  Trusting yourself more than you trust your co-worker may be your first line of defense.  Finding your footing when you feel that every misstep may lead you closer to the front door all the while looking over your shoulder determining whom you should trust.  Speaking up for yourself when you feel slighted in the workplace is a gamble. There was a time when being vocal and expressing yourself was considered a true sign of your leadership and personal integrity.  Now you have to weigh the odds even when the top brass encourages you to “speak freely” under promises of providing an “open work environment.”  Not true.  When in doubt you have two choices: 1) Put up or, 2) Shut up.

Knowing what you want from your career and thinking you know what you want, is the difference between saying you want to get married but never going on any dates. When you struggle with what you think you want from your next job because you are convinced that you just need to work, you do yourself a dis-service by not following what is truly in your heart from what’s pounding around in your head.  The pressure is on that is without question. Even though it looked like the economy was picking up the first half of the year to suddenly feeling like things have fallen off a cliff again, it’s easy to switch into panic-mode.  With unemployment benefits being extended to 99 weeks, it fuels the fires of doubt where it appears even the President is not confident in a job recovery anytime soon. Next time you find yourself ready to jump off a cliff because you just, “need to work” ask yourself, do you really know what you want?

It’s never too late to begin your job search BEFORE you graduate!  You may be thinking I have MONTHS to decide where I’m going to work.  Guess again.  If you are only thinking about this now, you are actually very LATE FOR YOUR IMPORTANT JOB DATE!  It’s not that I want to pressure you or anything, and it’s not like you don’t have enough pressure from mom or dad who are wondering when you’ll get off their payroll and onto your own!  It’s not that we don’t love you but, you really do need to get in gear if you are thinking you are going to want to do more than hit the movies, video game stores or soak it up on the beach come May or June.

We all like to be right.  Some like it for the sake of being right as others like to just make a point.  When you are on a job interview or perhaps when you are presenting to a client, you may not always see eye to eye. It’s okay to disagree because guess what, despite what you may have heard, the client isn’t ALWAYS right.  It may be hard to put yourself in a position where you have to argue your case, especially if you are on a job interview, but knowing where you stand and what you stand for depends upon how secure you are in your beliefs.  It might be nice to placate your client but in some cases, realizing you know best and following your instincts may be your best defense.

Like a car that changes shape as it picks up speed, your job, can change shape, accelerate or derail just as quickly.  The only difference is you are in the driver’s seat and are able to defend your right to pursue the career you were meant to lead. Having faith in yourself and in your ability to know what you are good at and what talents, skills and tools you have to contribute will help you know whether you are living your dream or are in need of a transformation.