If I had given up at any time during my job search, I would not have found a job, received a second round of publicity for my success and perseverance—and ended up where I am today. It is so important to keep your eyes on your goal and maintain the determination to reach it.
I never stopped sending out resumes—even when I received very few responses. I never stopped calling people—even when most of the time I spoke with messaging systems. I never stopped meeting with people and going to interviews—even when there was no clear job opening.
I did not know what would work out, so I had to keep trying.
When one exciting opportunity after another fizzled out and the doors were shut—I just kept looking for the next open door.
I emailed hundreds of resumes, made hundreds of telephone calls and networked for months—yet nothing worked out. Bear Stearns collapsed. The economy and financial markets grew weaker by the day. I was frustrated and rode an emotional roller-coaster, but I never thought of giving up.
When my wife and I realized we could not afford to stay in our apartment, we had to make tough decisions. There were no easy solutions. We had to figure out where to go. We had two small children. We had an apartment full of belongings. We were upset and despondent—but we never thought of giving up, even if we were going to live over a thousand miles apart.
When I had my flash of inspiration—with a little help and encouragement from my wife—I went with it. I overcame the embarrassment and awkwardness. I had a family to support. I would persevere. If I had to take my quest to the streets and pound the pavement, that’s what I would do.
I put on my sign board, went out to distribute resumes and generate new leads—and incidentally became world famous.
As a result of my publicity, emails and phones calls started pouring in from around the world.
Joshua,
Hey man, just saw your pic on the CNN website. I have been jobless before and it's a lonely place but don't give up hope. Perseverance always prevails. Best of luck to you on your job search - what you are doing takes a lot of guts and I can appreciate that!!
Joshua,
Saw your picture with your contact info on cnn.com and wanted to send you a note to just say, hang in there and don't give up. With an MIT degree you'll find work soon, guaranteed. Hope everything goes well for you.
Thanks!
These words of encouragement, don’t give up, strengthened my resolve and renewed my optimism—even as we left our apartment and my wife and children moved thirteen hundred miles away.
“Something good will come out of all this publicity,” I convinced myself. “Someone will offer me a job.”
As my photograph and story circulated around the globe, I corresponded, spoke and met with many interesting people—but I still could not find a job.
I kept moving forward and started a blog.
Even after I had left the city where I had been born and raised and had moved into a spare room attached to the garage of my sister’s house, I maintained my determination to find a job.
A professional career coach reached out to me, and I was open enough to seize the opportunity and to let her into my life. She helped me do what I had to do to find a job. Her advice was not always simple to implement, but I made an effort and did the best I could. After completing each step of the Paloma Method, my confidence and momentum grew stronger. I was transformed.
I pursued a job opportunity in my own back yard and one on the other side of the world. I did not know which—if either—would work out, so I moved forward with both.
I had a rigorous round of interviews in New York City and got ready to fly to the other side of the world for an interview in Yokohama. I had no idea what to expect.
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