Patience is the currency of job searching.

The worst career choices come from a place of urgency or irrationality.

Rarely do we make shitty career decisions when we sit back, define what’s next, and intentionally pursue that with patience. But that’s not easy.

For me, I was ready to start working the next Monday after I lost my job.

I would rather keep moving in the wrong direction, then sit with the ugly feelings. But only through lingering in the pain, can I appropriately rise from the ashes.

So the first insight I’m gaining through my job search (week 2!) is that we must RELAX.

We need to slow down, to go fast.

What does this look like for me?

• Not touching my resume or website (portfolio) for the first week
• Breathing and not over forcing meetings and connections
• Writing how I feel and what I want next

That final piece is VITAL.

Writing naturally slows us down. Even if you use a computer (unless you type 200+ words/min)

And it’s a forcing function to gain clarity.

We can dream about lush prairies where we can find our ideal job. But when we sit to write, that all fades and you’re faced with reality, a blinking cursor on a white screen. You need to pick where to start.

I began with who Jordan ISN’T. What am I NOT GOOD at? What jobs do I NOT WANT?

From this, I carved out the competencies and things that do fill my cup. And from that, I could begin working on my resume, website, and future applications.

The worst thing you can do if you suddenly become unemployed is to rush to the next opportunity. When you fail to learn and take forward things from your last role, it’s like you sacrificed the time.

You might have gained skills and relationships, but you left the key thing behind: The unique insights and learning that will propel you to your future state.

So, grab a chair with me.