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Is it time for you? Time for a good bloodletting?

Sounds painful, I know. But how else will you get all of those nasty toxins out of your system? Surely a quick slice to the forearm will remove them, right?

But if not, I’m here to help remove the toxins. Ones that may be causing undue harm to you, your network and your elusive next job.

Toxins are anything that stop progress and momentum. The obstacles that often aren’t seen but felt. By you and those around you.

Interested? Here are 5 alternatives to bloodletting.

If you are the squeamish type, don’t like the sight of blood or faint easily. Pay attention to these other less painful and more effective ideas below:

1. Fix Your Resume – Some resumes make me sick. And I don’t like to get sick. My guest post over at Ryan Rancatore’s great blog will spell that out for you. If you give that post a look, be forewarned. There’s another ghastly image. The resume becomes toxic when it is not a fit for the job I’ve listed, it’s too long, too detailed or too formatted. I don’t want to read it. And that needs to be fixed. Check out my favorite resume/CV template for this alternative.
2. Get Serious About Networking – I meet a lot of people who live like shut-ins relative to the job seekers who get it. That you need to get out of the house. Everyday. In order to meet the person who will eventually tell you about the job opening. You know. The one that will lead to your next great role. So do it and do it right. You can read my my 20 habits of highly effective networkers post for more information on how to do it right.
3. Use The Tools At Your Disposal – Act with purpose on LinkedIn, On Twitter and on Facebook. Those sites aren’t just a place to bounce around and read interesting perspectives. They are a place to meet people. To learn about jobs. And to build relationships. Start engaging people. Now. You can also read 10 Tools – The Tools Of Successful Job Search. A free download here.
4. Refresh Your Confidence – A lack of confidence or a feeling of desperation can be a huge toxin. Your psychology is critical. Because every person you meet, every recruiter you call, every hiring manager you meet. Everyone of them will build a mental picture on you almost instantly. You will get categorized. So smile. Market yourself with confidence. And believe in yourself. Because at least one time in your past. If not many times. You did something amazing that reminded you of what you are capable of doing. Remember those days and how you felt. Be that person – especially on interview day.
5. Build A Targeted Strategy – Many out there today are pursuing every job that includes the word “manager” or “finance” or “IT”. Because you think: “you never know when someone might find your background compelling”. But a lack of focus will hurt you. So build a list of target companies. As your networking partner, I need to know that information. Not just that you are looking for “something stable”. Be able to tell me your specific job search objectives. While you can be open to a lot of job types, I want to know specifics. Specifics will give you a chance to be “top of mind” with your network. Vague objectives simply leave you in the middle of the stack of business cards I picked up this week.

So what are your ideas? What other toxins have you seen? And how would you suggest job seekers remove them from their process?

Tim Tyrell-Smith works full time as a marketing executive and part-time as a blogger, creator, and idea generator. He discovered a passion for helping others after his own 2007 job search. Click Here to check out his blog!

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