Final Draft
Based on posts I see on LinkedIn and other social media platforms, it’s clear, this job market is nerve wracking and has been for years. I see fear, anger, envy, punctuated by the occasional joyful, “I got the job!” celebrations and sobering advice posts on what to do, what not to do, and more.
And I keep thinking of the fable of the tortoise and the hare.
They race. The hare sprints ahead. The tortoise walks steady, left behind. The tortoise refuses to quit. The tortoise refuses to be bitter. The tortoise chooses to continue the race, steady, persistent, consistent. By all rights, the tortoise has lost the race and should give up. The tortoise just wants to finish. Each agonizing slow step, they make, because they’re determined. The hare speeds ahead, and is so convinced of the inevitable that they take a nap.
And the tortoise walks by them, and wins the race because they never gave up, despite every signal telling them they should quit. But the tortoise listened to the most important signal – their own hope and tenacity – and they won because they didn’t give up hope. They kept going.
I’ve been out of the job hunt for months, having intended to take a year off. I realized a few months ago that I’m volunteering basically full time right now, and I know I’ve recovered from burn out and grief. Already had some good interviews, and I’m hopeful.
But if you’ve been at it for longer, for years even, my hope and attitude might feel naive. Or irritating.
Hope is a choice. One I’m privileged to make. Last year, I started a simple thing. Lose 1-2 pounds a week as part of regaining my health. No fad diets. Not even exercise. Just slow, steady, daily shifts in what I ate and how much. I got help at points, including a GLP-1 medication for a while which felt like a cheat code to a video game. But slow, steady, daily, inch by inch change. If you lose 2 pounds a week for a year, that’s over one hundred pounds. It’s been 16 months, I’ve lost 120 pounds, and it’s all been from persistent, consistent, slow effort.
The tortoise effect.
Every day, just a little better. Tweak as you go. Use data to help you measure. Make hypotheses. Test them. Validate them. Pivot and change as needed. Repeat. Basic product management, just applied to my life. The same approach to my new, part-time job of looking for work. Read the jobs. Write letters, update resumes. Track my progress. Slow steps. But steady. Walking forward, steady, persistent, consistent.
Choosing to smile. Choosing hope. Choosing to be the tortoise.
If you need to hear the truth, let me tell it to you now. You’ve got this. Show up. Keep going, my friend the tortoise. Because with every step, you’re closer to the finish line. And if you’re lucky, you might even win.
Keep going my tortoise friends. Keep going.
Second Draft
Based on posts I see on LinkedIn and other social media platforms, it’s clear, this job market is nerve wracking and has been for years. I see fear, anger, envy, punctuated by the occassional joyful, “I got the job!” celebrations and sobering advice posts on what to do, what not to do, and more.
And I keep thinking of the fable of the tortise and the hare.
They race. The hare sprints ahead. The tortise walks steady, left behind. The tortise refuses to quit. The tortise refuses to be bitter. The tortise chooses to continue the race, steady, persistent, consistent. By all rights, the tortise has lost the race and should give up. The tortise just wants to finish. Each agonizng slow step, they make, because they’re determined. The hare speeds ahead, and is so convinced of the inevitible that they take a nap.
And the tortise walks by them, and wins the race because they never gave up, despite every signal telling them they should quit. But the tortise listened to the most important signal – their own hope and tenacity – and they won because they didn’t give up hope. They kept going.
I’ve been out of the job hunt for months, having intended to take a year off. I realized a few months ago that I’m volunteering basically full time right now, and I know I’ve recovered from burn out and grief. Already had some good interviews, and I’m hopeful.
But if you’ve been at it for longer, for years even, my hope and attitude might feel naive. Or irritating.
Hope is a choice. One I’m privileged to make. Last year, I started a simple thing. Lose 1-2 pounds a week as part of regaining my health. No fad diets. Not even exercise. Just slow, steady, daily shifts in what I ate and how much. I got help at points, including a GLP-1 medication for a while which felt like a cheat code to a video game. But slow, steady, daily, inch by inch change. If you lose 2 pounds a week for a year, that’s over one hundred pounds. It’s been 16 months, I’ve lost 120 pounds, and it’s all been from persistent, consistent, slow effort.
The tortise effect.
Every day, just a little better. Tweak as you go. Use data to help you measure. Make hypothesis. Test them. Validate them. Pivot and change as needed. Repeat. Basic product management, just applied to my life. The same approach to my new, part-time job of looking for work. Read the jobs. Write letters, update resumes. Track my progress. Slow steps. But steady. Walking forward, steady, persistent, consistent.
Choosing to smile. Choosing hope. Choosing to be the tortise.
If you need to hear the truth, let me tell it to you now. You’ve got this. Show up. Keep going, my friend the tortise. Because with every step, you’re closer to the finish line. And if you’re lucky, you might even win.
Keep going my tortise friends. Keep going.
First Draft