Intrepid Miami journalist

Introduction: Since starting to write weekly in November 2023 about my unexpected journey to the next chapter of my career, I've covered a range of career management topics usually through the lens of my own experience.

My objective has been to keep reminding hiring managers this free agent veteran journalist and media leader is available for hire. At the same time, I've strived to pay it forward with advice, suggestions, tips, experiences any professional seeking a new position or considering going a different vocational direction could find helpful.

Big picture: This adventurous sojourn, although challenging, has been gratifying because I've seen evidence in the form of many interviews that companies realize I'm on the market for employment. And I've gotten notes indicating my articles -- call them a mini-series, a blog, or a newsletter on LinkedIn and on Substack -- have been useful to others managing their careers in an unpredictable and sometimes nerve-racking labor market.

This week I recalled a pearl of wisdom told to me roughly 15 years ago by one of the country's legendary career coaches and executive/manager resume writers. Can't keep this wise piece of advice to myself. The question I put to Martin Yate, author of the New York Times best-selling "Knock 'Em Dead" books covering the waterfront of job searching, networking, resume writing and more in 85 editions, was what is the best way to land a new job whether you're a recent college graduate, midcareer worker or a manager?

Pearl of wisdom: Without much hesitation in his evident British accent, Yate replied with a simple: stop looking. Certainly wasn't remotely close to any answer I expected from him. As a jovial man, I checked to confirm he wasn't being glib or outright kidding.

Yate insisted he wasn't either, and elaborated. His message was after months of job searching, many people have either thoroughly burned themselves out applying for positions or become stressed out cause after three to six months they haven't yet landed that next attractive or desirable job. For that reason, these professional job seekers are being unnecessarily tough on themselves.

Gaining momentum: He underscored after you've repeatedly utilized your network to gain direct channels to hiring managers and scored interviews for a variety of openings, that means you're making substantial progress. The progress can be blurred by many rejections you're eventually getting sent to your in-box from those hiring managers. But it's still building momentum on your challenging journey.

Also, after many weeks and months of alerting and informing your network, former colleagues, friends, acquaintances, and everybody that will listen, to please keep you in mind if anybody hears about jobs or job leads they think could be a good match for you, your quest for a fresh career opportunity is very well known. That's why Yate told me, given all of that, focusing yourself and your time for a period on other things is quite beneficial in the short and long run.

If you've been following my unplanned journey, even just intermittently, you know that I "practice what I preach" in my writings. In fact, I would never write or suggest in these dispatches anything I thought wasn't sound advice or helpful information.

Sweat equity: With that in mind, this week and last I logged many hours of yard work, or call it a home beautification project, on our Wellington property in western Palm Beach County. Well, I guess it was work since a lot of sweat equity went into my landscaping in the front of our house, planting a vegetable (tomatoes, summer squash) and herb (basil, dill) garden on one side and adding a small memorial garden in the rear dedicated to partner Kathy Styer's late mom and dad, Charles and Joyce Styer.

Despite temperatures consistently in the 80s and pushing over 90 a few days, my hours as landscaper and gardener were well worth it. Got my hands dirty, felt great about the do-it-yourself accomplishments (full disclosure: Kathy assisted) and temporarily took my mind off my free agent journey.

Now that the labor is behind me, I'm extra motivated, dialed in, confident and ready to keep steering this ship toward my next career destination.

Thank you for reading. Hope you'll continue this journey with me to my next professional chapter. Please feel free to connect on LinkedIn or on Substack, or at bombergerpaul@gmail.com to offer your thoughts, suggestions and job leads.