Ask Diane: "How fussy should I be in my job search?"

On the first Monday of each month, we will look to our in-house career coach, Diane Cronk, to offer straight-forward and usable advice on anything and everything along the career path. This month’s question comes from a British lawyer, new to Vancouver, and just entering the local job market for the first time. She writes:

Dear Diane,

“How fussy should I be in my job search? I am quite adaptable and open to new and different opportunities, but I also need to work somewhere where I fit in with their culture. As I am currently unemployed, I do need a job quite quickly. I need to know whether I should accept jobs that I think I can get on with, or whether I should hold out for the perfect role.”

- Job Search Stalemate

Dear Sweet Stalemate,

This is the most common question we’re asked and I’m glad that you did. Firstly, I need to start off by acknowledging that I don’t know the details of your personal financial situation. If you don’t have food on the table, you can’t afford to be fussy. You need to dedicate every moment to finding your next job. How long have you been off of work? Especially in legal, once you’ve been unemployed for a number of months, it will begin to reflect very poorly on you in the eyes of a prospective employer.

Having said that, employers will also take note of jumpiness. You need to be aware of how short stints on your resume will appear to the firms where you’d like to be hired. Some professionals have more of a luxury than others in remaining unemployed if they have more marketable skills. For example, conveyancers are hard to come by these days and will likely be hired, so if you happen to be a conveyancer, you could certainly take a little longer in looking for the right fit.

I hope that helps get your search moving,

- Diane

Need career advice? Ask Diane questions to info@arlynrecruiting.com to have your questions answered, or contact Arlyn recruiting at 604-681-4432 to find out if Diane is the coach for you!

When Diane Cronk isn’t answering candidate questions, she’s completing a master’s degree in counselling at Yorkville University and coaching job seekers from a variety of backgrounds. She specializes in developing strategic career moves; transitioning from one workplace to another; dealing with interpersonal conflict; fine-tuning communication skills; developing leadership and performance competencies and stress-related issues. She’s pretty great. But nobody’s perfect. Her opinions and advice are aimed at inspiring and supporting both employers and candidates. They are in no way a replacement for personalized guidance for individuals at any stage in their career development. Her opinions and advice are made with the best of intentions and aimed at assisting (or even just entertaining) both employers and candidates. In addition, in true legal fashion …

By submitting a query to Ask Diane, you grant Arlyn Recruiting permission to publish it on our websites. Your full name and contact details will never be included or distributed. Diane is expressing personal opinions and views and the advice offered is intended for informational purposes only. Use of this column is not intended to replace or substitute for any professional, financial, medical, legal or other professional advice. If you have specific concerns or a situation in which you require professional, psychological or medical help, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified specialist. The opinions or views expressed in this column are not intended to treat or diagnose, nor are they meant to replace the treatment and care that you may be receiving from a licensed professional, physician or mental health professional. This column, its author and Arlyn Recruiting are not responsible for the outcome or results of following any advice in any given situation. You, and only you, are completely responsible for your actions. Arlyn Recruiting reserves the right to edit correspondence for length and clarity and offers no guarantee that a response will be given to any particular question.