Sometimes I only win some days

Winter has finally arrived. There isn't much snow yet, but the cold is more than making up for it, just in case people were wondering if the seasons had indeed changed. Message received, hats placed on heads, and I better get to finishing that scarf for my husband who does not like feeling cold. It's no wonder that I've fallen for knitting this year, as though my stitching fingers knew that we'd be returning to the land of very cold winters.

But isn't it beautiful? The crispness and the brightness of the snow makes me so happy. And today I need this kind of happy.

I didn't get a job today. I guess that in the past eight months I didn't get jobs most of those days either, but today I didn't get a specific job, a job that I wanted. I was excited by the possibility of this specific job, and my excitement was fueled by two good interviews. But this morning I heard that they went with someone else, and that's not what I wanted to hear. One day soon, I hope, I'll get a different job, but today I wanted this one. So today I welcomed the sight of my family playing outside on this beautiful day in winter. 

What's that I said earlier about big girl panties? So back to the grind it is. I've already applied for another job this morning, and I'm re-brainstorming some new approaches to my job search. I'm setting some new goals (which I hope to share with you very soon), and trying to absorb as much wisdom as I can from people who have done this before. I'm also finding great comfort in my community of friends who I know want me to get a job almost as much as I do! Thank you, everyone, you have made today a lot easier already.

If you are working on your own job search, or just looking for some new ways to frame your own goal brainstorming, you might find these helpful:

• Penelope Trunk has a lot to offer when it comes to building resumes, telling your story to a future employer, and some other ideas to get you going. She is also the author of this, one of the most helpful suggestions I've ever come across in my job search: 

  You’re going to need to show you’ve done the new job before you can get the new job. It’s not fair, I know. But it’s how the world works. So just make up a job, do it, and then put it on your resume. You don’t need pay or permission to do the job you want. Just start doing it. And if you already have the job you want on your resume, you’re much more likely to get hired for the job you want. (Find the rest here.)

• I've always been a fan of the Biz Ladies posts over at Design Sponge, but this week's post was especially helpful. I'm using this model right now for my 2012 planning. I'm staring with choosing my five goals and trying to determine the scope of all the little projects that fit into these goals.
• I'm also a fan of this worksheet for reflecting on the previous year's goals and outcomes. (I would love to sign up for one of her courses, but that will need to wait for now. Job first, then funds to take wonderful courses second.)

Ok, that's enough for now. Back to work. If you are looking for work, too, please know that you are not the only one struggling. And.it.will.happen!