This article is inspired by my cat. She knows how to go after what she wants. Yesterday, I made the mistake of putting down a mug of milk while I continued to work. She went after it. I said, “no,” and moved the mug to the other side of the desk. She went slinking around the other side of me to try to dive into that mug. Again, I moved the cup, this time covering it with a book so she couldn’t put her nose in it. Undeterred, she promptly saw what needed to be done to move the book for access to the milk. I finally needed to return the drink to the refrigerator.

If you are looking for a job, would you call yourself tenacious?

Dictionary.com defines it as:

te⋅na⋅cious  [tuh-ney-shuhs]

–adjective

1. holding fast; characterized by keeping a firm hold (often fol. by of): a tenacious grip on my arm; tenacious of old habits.

2. highly retentive: a tenacious memory.

3. pertinacious, persistent, stubborn, or obstinate.

4. adhesive or sticky; viscous or glutinous.

5. holding together; cohesive; not easily pulled asunder; tough.

I guess, as far as my cat goes, “glutinous” is a good fit, but I think focusing on “pertinacious, persistent, stubborn, or obstinate” is a better definition for our purposes discussing job search!

What can you do?

Are you really going after what you want? Or, are you approaching your job hunt with the spine of a wet noodle? Do you think you can’t make an impact on the results of your search? I make a practice of telling my clients that they DO drive their own career bus. It is up to you to take the wheel.

Seize control of what you can! Don’t be a victim of circumstances. Drive your own career bus!

No one wants to hire someone who has thrown in the towel.

If you haven’t changed the way you are “driving through” your career or job search, what is holding you back?