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Envision your future to help your job hunt
July 1, 2009 · 0 Comments
My friend Cindy Petersiel, a business coach who blogs at Design Your Success, suggested an idea I have been meaning to share, and “Job Search Future Planning Week” is the perfect time to share it! When you are looking for a job, knowing where you are going is the most important thing. As Cindy notes: “What good is climbing the ladder if it’s leaning against the wrong wall?” To help you figure out the right wall…This is what Cindy says:
Envision yourself 5 years from now being featured in an article for a magazine or newspaper.  Ask yourself these questions:
What publication is featuring the article?
Who are you or what have you done to gain the interest of the magazine?
Now consider some questions that might be asked by the interviewer:
What lead you to this path in your life and in your work? How have your core values influenced your path? What are the steps that you took to get here? What were the milestones along the way? What do you love about your life and your accomplishments? What have been the obstacles along the way and how have you surmounted them? What has your work brought to you?
Notice that all of these questions are in the present tense. When you answer them, keep that present tense.
So, what do you think? When you envision yourself 5 years down the road, what magazine is writing an article about you? Why?
Cindy suggests you think about:
Who have you become or what have you done that has captured the publication’s interest?   At the top of a piece of paper, write the name of the magazine. Leave room for an article title – you’ll fill that in last.
Write out the interview questions above. What other questions could there be? Write them out. Make sure you have about 20 to 30 minutes of quiet alone time and write out the answers to these questions. Really pretend that you are there, 5 years from now. Feel the pride and the joy.
Lastly, come up with a title for the article and write it at the top of the page. This could end up being a battle cry or bolstering mantra as you move toward your 5-year vision.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s idea to extend the fun and pretend to help you firm up your vision of the future!
Need a little help ramping up your search? Read how I can help get you going!
photo by anihatzis
Related Posts:
- The other side of the hiring desk, pt 6: How to turn a recruiter into a fan!
- The other side of the hiring desk, pt 5: How often should job seekers follow up with recruiters?
- The other side of the hiring desk, pt 4: How to work with a recruiter without becoming a stalker
- Plan your job search future…A future party!
- Plan your job hunt using The Vision Board to guide you

Article by Miriam Salpeter
Miriam Salpeter, author of Social Networking for Career Success, is a CNN-named "top 10 job tweeter" and contributor to U.S. News & World Report's "On Careers" column. Quoted in major media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and NBC news for her cutting-edge career advice, Miriam is an in-demand writer and speaker regarding job search and social media. She offers custom packages for job seekers and business owners, including transforming resumes and creating social media profiles/personal websites for clients. Keppie Careers has you covered. Let's get started!


