Accepting anything will get you nothing

It's understandable that when your job search isn't panning out, you might start looking for anything that will bring in money. Financial constraints can add to the feeling of desperation. However, the "I'll take anything at this point" will hinder your efforts to find work that fits your individual traits and needs.

Taking anything is different than taking work that helps you achieve your goal of finding a job that fits your career goals and vocation. I hear from people and read stories all the time about how jobs are hard to find, and people are getting passed over for entry level jobs because they are over-qualified.

This makes sense from the employer's viewpoint. Why would I invest time and energy into someone who is going to leave at the earliest opportunity? Why are you spending time applying to places that you have no interest in other than getting paid to show up and work. This is a loss for both sides.

As I've stated before, you are being hired to make an employer money. It's really that simple. Even bring people on to do "menial" work is designed to free up the employer or other employees to do work that makes the business more profitable. The work you are doing should bring the employer 3 - 5 times more money than they are paying you.

Don't worry, I'm not going to leave you hanging. Here's what I suggest you do. Write down on a piece of paper the skills and abilities you have. Don't sell yourself short. If you deal with customers, you need to understand the people skills you have. After you have completed this, write down your values, dreams, and passions. Take all 5 of these components and look at them through the lens of your personality tendencies. This should now give you insight into the type of work that best suits you.

You are now ready to begin a "targeted" job search strategy. Make a list of companies that interest you and that you believe will benefit from having you as an employee. Contact them and communicate to them your interest in working for them and what you can offer them with your services. By being proactive and not just responding to jobs listed, you increase your prospects of getting a job, and you reduce the number of individuals you are competing against. Many of the best job opportunities are not advertised as it is.

Taking anything will get you nothing, but focusing on what you are a match for will bring more success.