Job Search Objective
It’s not unusual to hear someone reentering the workforce say, “It doesn’t matter. I’ll take anything. I need to get started.” Yes, I get it; there are situations when this sentiment fits, but too often, it’s WRONG because it DOES matter for several reasons.
To start, a decision must be made regarding where NOT to look. Job searching without narrowing the field of play is a prescription for failure. Furthermore, searching for a job (the RIGHT job) takes much time and energy - precious resources for anyone, perhaps more so for someone getting back on track in life and work.
This is where the importance of setting a Job Search Objective becomes evident. The objective is directly linked to a longer-term goal in the best circumstances. For instance, if the person enjoys cooking and aspires to join a back-of-the-house crew in a high-end restaurant, say a sous or assistant chef, her objective should align with this goal.
So, what type of job should she pursue to start her reentry search: in an office, a warehouse, or as a personal care assistant? No, she should start in food service. Right? I mean, that’s easy to see, and it makes sense.
At this point, the role of the reentry helper becomes crucial. They assist in scrutinizing the goal (is it realistic?) and attaching a timeline to it (how long will it take?). They also help identify the necessary steps and create a plan to achieve the goal. Once the goal is set, our job seeker must work backward from her goal, estimating the required steps and leading in reverse order to where she is today. Without the reentry helper's assistance, crucial tasks like goal setting and step identification might not (won’t) happen.
Now, for her (with goal and steps in hand), the question is, where should she embark on her goal journey? Furthermore, which path is the RIGHT path? To you or me, looking at it from the outside, it’s straightforward: She should start in food service, preferably in a restaurant, as a dishwasher or pantry assistant. It’s an easy call for us but not for her. Taking the first step, even with a clear goal and some idea of the steps required to reach it, can be intimidating.
In this case, her goal aligns with her interests. But how often is this overlooked or flatly ignored? From my experience, the outcome isn't good where there’s little or no interest (other than a paycheck). Therefore, interest must be considered when a longer-term goal is set. And here again, I can read your mind, another “Well, dah, you think?” As essential and grounded in common sense, as this may be, prerequisites AND interests must be considered. The question, “Do you even like that stuff?” must be asked, yet often, isn’t.
Now imagine if there was no goal, no game plan, only “I gotta find something.” Chances are, “something” will be found. And to what end? Relapse? Recidivism? Cycles of this and that?
This stuff takes work. Handing someone a debit card and a warning never to set foot on state correctional property again (or else risk another felony charge), OF COURSE, just adds to the statistics.
Start by setting the stage. Help those reentering to see themselves as Free Agents Selling their Services in the Marketplace. Assist them in setting goals and outlining the steps needed to achieve them. And encourage them to take the big step of getting on the right bus that will start them on their path to reaching their goal.
Onward!