ATTITUDE

UPDATED ON 12/26/2021

Changing our identity from job seeker to authority will boost our confidence and presence in front of those in the way of our dreams.

Most masters of anything consider themselves to be lifelong students even in their own specialty. They learn from their peers and rivals, often agreeing on new concepts or opening odd ones for debate.

That’s why I attended a webinar hosted by a career coach based in Rochester, New York. LinkedIn has claimed him to be one of the the top 5% LinkedIn expert.

Overall, the webinar was a good session with unique material, so I did pick up a few new things.

One really stuck out to me like a sore thumb.

I have hinted at it before, but it deserves more prominent mention.

When we participate in the job market, especially during a pandemic, society naturally labels us as “job seekers”, “job hunters”, or whatever other label with the word “job” in front.

As true as those labels may be, however, a better term — and way of thinking — exists.

The Harm of Calling Ourselves Job Seekers

Throughout my lessons thus far, I have employed the label “job candidates” as I resist using the term “job seekers”. Despite it being commonly used everywhere, the latter term just never sounded good to me. I could not quite put my finger on why I feel that way besides it sounding too casual. It just have not sit well with me.

Only now do I understand the reason.

The term “job seekers”, and the like, exudes a sense of inferiority.

It silently — and falsely — portray us as professionals in lower social status. And why? Simply because we do not have a job and are in need of one? It deceptively puts recruiters and hiring managers on a pedestal because they have the power to give us what we want.

If we continue to think of ourselves as job seekers over time, it becomes our identity. That identity feeds into our growing desperation, exhaustion, and despair as time goes on. We begin to constantly compare ourselves to others, believing we are not up-to-par with current industry standards.

And soon enough, we start asking ourselves, “what is wrong with me?”

That desperation, exhaustion, and despair will show up in not just the networking events and interviews, but also in training courses since they demotivate our minds from learning.

Believe me. I’ve been there.

So what is one way to turn this around or even prevent this from happening in the first place?

The Effects of Being the Authority

Among the wise, another concept lives in their heads. It is one that has been taught time and time again, but often forgotten.

Each of us are CEOs. CEOs of ourselves.

No one else has ever experienced what it is like to be us, and only we can articulate what we know and control what we do.

That means we are the authority. Authority of us.

We are the authority of our knowledge and skills.

We are the authority of our behavior.

We are the authority of our emotions.

Go ahead. Say, “I am the authority.” Repeat if you have to.

How do you feel? Don’t you feel stronger?

Calling ourselves the “authority” enhances our demeanor, strengthens our confidence, and acknowledges — if not elevate — us as equals to everyone else. The recruiters and hiring managers no longer feel superior. Our colleagues are just that. colleagues. It does not mean they know less than us, and it does not mean we know less than them. Each of us may be the authority in different aspects of the same area of expertise.

We become prouder, and the prouder we feel, the more we are able to identify accomplishments to write on our resumes and the more enthusiastic we can showcase ourselves in conversations.

Recognizing ourselves as authorities creates the zeal needed to keep us motivated and destroy desperation because we know we will prevail.

Final Shift

Since writing my first article on resumes and the process, I have been labeling people who are looking for new opportunities as “job” something. Sadly, when trying to reference this group in my writings, I cannot think of better terms to use as the word “authority” does not always make literary sense. So I may have to continue utilizing these weaker labels.

But know this.

When it comes to resumes (and data analysis and project management, for that matter), I am the authority, just like others in the same profession.

And in whatever field you specialize in, you are the authority. Feel it heart then show it.

Just because someone else may know something different or more about your area of expertise does not mean they have more authority over you. You are the authority of your knowledge and any new information you wish to accept.

So walk tall. We are the authority of our domains.

Contact me if you need some reinforcement. You are the CEO of you.