You know what
you need to do,
but do you do it?

I was talking with my LifeWoRx buddy this morning, and we agreed on yet another facet of work to put on our accountability list. LifeWoRx is a program that teaches goal attainment. Part of the lesson is to choose a phone buddy with whom to speak daily to keep us doing the things we need to do to succeed.

There may be no component of this or any other success program that is so important.

That is true in your job search, as well. There are search strategies that work better than others. (If you’re still throwing your resume up on the boards and wondering why no one calls, email me, and we’ll get you going on a better system.) But let’s say you’ve learned the more proactive networking and direct contact approach, (See Networking Part 1 and Part 2.). Why would you still need a coach?

Accountability. This is the part that gives you the opportunity to be true to your dreams and goals, to really make them happen. Most of us tend to be very proactive as long as we feel the fire. We’re excited, determined, and move ahead rapidly.

As soon as progress wanes, or interest drops, or we don’t get the immediate results we anticipate, we busy up with another interest, “forget” about our intention, or resign ourselves to the assumption that it didn’t work, won’t ever work, and we might as well stay where we’re at.

BZZZZZZZ. Wrong answer.

Keeping our momentum is the secret, and an accountability partner is the way to do that.

You can try to find someone who will do that with you. Another job seeker may work, because they are attuned to the same needs. Anyone else may lose interest even before you do. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT partner with your partner, either at work or at home. A power struggle, resentment, and conflict are so likely that it’s simply not worth the attempt.

The absolute best way to hold yourself accountable is with your job search strategist or career coach. Your success is important to them. For me, it is one of the ways to gauge my own success. When you email me to say you’ve gotten your interview, it’s a great day for me, too! When you say they offered you the job, it’s even better! When I add your success story to my Web site (with your permission, of course), I am one step closer to my own success.

It doesn’t get any better than having someone totally on your side. I have no conflicting goals. Another job seeker, for example, may worry that you’ll get a job first and abandon them. A spouse may be so emotionally entangled in the job or career change that they can’t be objective as you need them to be. A partner or colleague may be more concerned about the consequences for themselves. As a certified coach , I have a set of ethics to guide me, and training in best practices to support your progress. When you get stuck, I know the questions to ask. When you run out of sources, I know how to find others.

Bottom line: When you sign up for job search coaching, don’t cut corners on the accountability component because you think it’s something you can do yourself. The fact is that even knowing what to do, most people don’t. Keep yourself out of that statistical barrel. Protect your investment in job search coaching by adding accountability coaching to your services. If, as playwright Woody Allen said, a good part of success is just showing up, then make sure you do.