Your Successful Job Search

Systems-level Thinking for Success

A Worksheet Guide to Taking a Systemic Perspective

The practice of metacognition, thinking about thinking, gives us more agency. We see multiple influencing factors and make conscious choices about what next steps to take. This worksheet is a guide to approaching your job search from this empowered position. Return to it as many times as you like.

Challenges

Answer the following questions in no more than 1-2 sentences. Do not prepare or edit. Write what comes to mind.

  • Why are you embarking on a job search right now?

  • How do you feel about your job search (excited, disappointed, worried, encouraged)? For inspiration answering this question, you can refer to this emotion wheel.

  • What worries you most about this process? (Personal challenges, world events, changes in your field, family pressure, etc. Write down anything that comes to mind.)

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Motivation

Answer the following questions in as much detail as you can. Take your time. Do not prepare or edit. Write what comes to mind.

  • What would be the ideal outcome of this search? Don’t hold back. Name everything you want in as much detail as possible. (Work-life balance, better salary, more sense of purpose, less burnout, changing location, etc. Whatever comes to mind, name it.)

  • Of all the advice that you have received, what actionable steps seem the most manageable and enjoyable to you? Note which steps you are particularly good at. (Networking, updating online profiles, applying my expertise, making new connections, etc.)

  • What gives you the most hope, energy, and inspiration when you engage in the process of searching for a job?

Summary

After you have finished answering these questions, make a note of what inspires you and what makes you feel energized to take action. Note that this worksheet is designed to place more attention on your hopes, talents, and inspirations. Practice witnessing your concerns and worries without letting them dominate.

There are no “right” answers to any of these questions. The simple practice of answering them helps you engage with more awareness about what is impacting your journey. The more influencing factors you see, the more likely you are to make conscious decisions about where you want to go next.

Follow methods, steps, and people that make you feel hopeful, energized, and inspired. Deliberately creating new connections ensures that you are as open as possible to new opportunities aligned with your highest talents.