Job Hunting is Snow Joke...

As I'm writing this article, my back hurts.

And that's because I spent the first 90 minutes of my day hogging through the 8 inches of heavy, wet snow we got overnight to make sure the missus can get out of the driveway.

Thankfully, I don't have to shovel my driveway, as my brother-in-law hooked me up with a sweet, custom snow blower that doesn't pull any punches, so I tend to give my neighbors a hand as well.

I noticed though, that aside from myself, no one else on my block has what I'd consider "heavy equipment". Sure there are some "snow pups" or light duty machines, but all pale in comparison to my mighty orange steed.

I swear if you gave it a little trailer you could ride it to work in a blizzard.

Watching my neighbors shovel their driveways always makes me hurry to finish mine, and today was no exception. The plows had done their work clearing the street and each house had that monster drift at the base of the driveway.

As I finished my work to make sure my wife could get out, I noticed my neighbors all attacking their own drifts with shovels and honestly not getting really far.

Shoveling those driveway drifts is a lot like your job hunt.

You take one scoop at a time.

And it's not easy, it's just like that snow.

It's heavy, it's messy, and it's not a whole lot of fun, especially when you need to take 300+ scoops to clear the base of your driveway.

Eventually though, the end is in sight and those last few scoops get a bit easier.

Along the way though, you'll want to make sure you take short breaks so you don't burn yourself out.

Today's snowfall was the literal definition of "heart attack snow", and taking a breather when shoveling it, or when shoveling applications into the engine of your job hunt is a must.

You can get help with resources, like professional resume reviews, listening to shows like Recruiting Hell, or even seeking a career coach.

These are the snowthrowers that help you clear your driveway faster, but here's the rub.

You generally have to start your driveway/job search with your own shovel/applications before anyone jumps in to help you.

Do I snow blow my neighbors' driveways if they aren't started? In some cases, yes I do.

Why? I just said you have to start your driveway.

Networking.

Snow removal is a networking experience.

More than half of America doesn't know the people who live on either side of them. That's a lot of missed connections.

So whether or not you live where the slow piles deep or not, remember that there are people all around you that can you can help, and can likely help you.

Get to know your neighbors, not only because they can make great friends, but also for the networking opportunities they may present down the road.

I can now say with only 1 exception that everyone on my block knows who I am, and that I'm willing to help them out with snow removal whether they ask or not.

Not only is that a powerful benefit to keep our relationships rosy, it's also given me an opportunity to drop a note on those folks' doors this summer to invite them to a barbecue (pandemic willing) and get to know them even better.

Who knows, maybe some day they'll shovel a bit of my snow, or maybe tell me about a position they're hiring for at their company while we enjoy a beer in warmer weather.

~RH