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"You do not have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great."
~Les Brown

Many of you will remember my marathon story from the BACTS workshop where I shared my story of deciding to run my first marathon before I was 30. Mind you, I wasn’t really a runner. I jogged a few miles every now and then, but 26 miles…no, that was something I had never done.

While working for the Walt Disney Company, we were required to volunteer and I picked an assignment with the Los Angeles Marathon. My job was to scream as loud as I could and encourage the runners on the 25th mile…just a mile from the finish line. As I watched the worn, battered, tired and sore runners come down the street, I noticed a resolve on their faces…They WERE going to finish the race and it didn’t matter what they had endured to get there.

One of the “runners” that day made an everlasting impression on me. The vision of his resolve to do whatever it took to reach his goal to finish the race often encourages me in times when I need it most. This “runner”, Bob Wieland, who lost both legs during the Vietnam War, crossed the finish line on his hands. It was that moment that I decided if this man can do it, certainly I can run this crazy race...and I did!

His first several times running the LA Marathon took him over 70 hours to complete. Each year he decreased his finish time. He never thought to stop running, just because it took him so long to complete…he just kept going.

Heck, even Thomas Edison didn’t stop trying to get to his goal to develop a light bulb… “I have not failed; I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

So it’s a new year, and a lot of what you did to find and secure a job didn’t work last year. The mantra for 2011 is to “keep moving forward” and “know that something great is going to happen to you this year”. Set your goal on finding a job this year and don’t stop at anything to get it.

It’s a fresh start to get this job search on track. I’m excited for all of you this year. It should be a good one!

GOOD NEWS: All news points to new job growth in 2011, and if some of the aggregate sites like http://www.simplyhired.com/ or http://www.indeed.com/, are any indication this week, then I would say things are going to be good for job seekers this year!

CONGRATULATIONS: To Tom S. who after nearly 2 years, recently accepted a position at PHS in Temecula. Tom wrote, “Tell the BACTS group to hang in there , don't give up, think positive and network.” I also want to share something that happened during Tom’s interview process. He had the chance to interview months ago. He thought the interview went well, and after meeting several people in the company, he thought he might get an offer. The communication from the company seemed to go cold after the interview, yet Tom knew this was the right job for him. Tom was persistent in talking with the department head and Human Resources. All of this networking and persistence paid off!

BACTS FACT: “One of the strongest applicants is someone who has a clear idea of what they want and how they are going to get it.” ~J. Smith

THAT'S IT: Just to be clear about 2010….I’m glad it’s over, and I welcome in 2011 with wide open arms, as each tomorrow is fresh with much opportunity. It’s a fresh new year for all of us to make our goals a reality.

“Stop thinking in terms of limitations and start thinking in terms of possibilities.” ~ Terry Josephson

Good luck on the job search this week,
Jan

Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483
http://www.inlandmgtgroup.com/
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