{"id":2423,"date":"2015-03-10T05:31:06","date_gmt":"2015-03-10T09:31:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/accelerateyoursearchnow.com\/blog\/?p=2423"},"modified":"2015-03-29T15:06:44","modified_gmt":"2015-03-29T19:06:44","slug":"mining-the-gap-takes-courage-and-support","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/accelerateyoursearchnow.com\/blog\/2015\/03\/mining-the-gap-takes-courage-and-support\/","title":{"rendered":"Mining the Gap – it takes courage and support!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"silver<\/a>A few weeks ago I was with an amazing group of colleagues who share my\u00a0passion for helping others move their careers forward. \u00a0This group, The Institute for Career Transitions (ICT<\/a>),\u00a0is deeply concerned and passionate about the long-term unemployed.<\/p>\n

We want to impact long-term unemployment with facts, data, and compassion. \u00a0We want to bring light to the concerns and issues of talented professionals who experience long-term unemployment. \u00a0We want to determine, via research, if coaching support does or does not help professionals who have been out of work more than six\u00a0months improve their well being and\/or return to work. \u00a0The group’s founder Ofer Sharone<\/a>, Assistant Professor in the MIT Sloan School of Management, is someone who understands the importance of\u00a0both courage and support.<\/p>\n

Our conversations are always robust. \u00a0One recent discussion included the concerns and questions many talented professionals deal with when unemployed for six months or more. \u00a0Rising to the top, was\u00a0how to discuss, share and\/or explain what you have been doing for the\u00a0period of time since your last job.<\/p>\n

Among the top questions I receive as a coach is, “How do I explain being out of world for a long time?” \u00a0This question is almost always asked with a high level of fear or trepidation. \u00a0Odds are you will be faced with the question, “What have you been doing?” \u00a0Whether asked in an interview or while networking, does this question strike you with fear or puzzlement?<\/p>\n

The time between jobs is often referred to as “the gap” — and I have a unique way of dealing with “the gap.”<\/p>\n

I began using a phrase to help clients, workshop attendees and people in general to understand a simple process to help you move away from all that fear, concern and puzzlement — it’s called “mining the gap<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n

Mining is, in its simplest definition, the process of looking for gold, silver and gems. And, “mining the gap<\/strong>” is the process of unlocking the gems you uncover during your gap, your time of unemployment.<\/p>\n

This concept came to me several years ago after visiting an\u00a0abandoned silver<\/a> mine. \u00a0I got a few feet into the mine and froze. \u00a0Had my guide not noticed my fear I would have missed an amazing experience.<\/p>\n

My guide offered support, information, and asked questions. \u00a0The support and questions helped me determine my options and select a direction. \u00a0His support insured me I was not alone. \u00a0It allowed me to reach inside myself, decide want I wanted and find\u00a0the courage to step deeper into the mine.<\/p>\n

I was so grateful for\u00a0his\u00a0care and concern that day. \u00a0The experience is one I will never forget.<\/p>\n

The experience was so much more than just learning what silver ore looks like and how its beauty is brought to the surface to be unlocked and transformed into amazing products — it also provided a way to put all the days’ sights, smells and emotions into context. \u00a0It also provided a community to share the experience.<\/p>\n

My silver mine guide offered me the same thing that career coaches and coaching communities offer clients — care, concern, guidance and somewhere to turn when we are unsure how to move forward.<\/p>\n

I love silver and every time I look at pieces of silver jewelry or other useful everyday items, I think of that day, that community and those connections.<\/p>\n

It took courage<\/strong> for that guide to help me. \u00a0It took courage<\/strong> for me to step into the mine, to see and to share the experience. \u00a0I could not have found courage on that day (or many other days) alone. \u00a0I believe we are hard-wired to connect, to support one another and to journey together.<\/p>\n

Someone stepped close, saw my fear and did not exploit or criticize me. \u00a0That someone offered support, asked questions, and let me chose what was best for me.<\/p>\n

If you are looking for support in your job search, or in anything you do, look around, odds are support is within reach.<\/p>\n

Here are 3 tips for tapping support as you are “mining the gap:”<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u00a0Have the courage to be honest with yourself about the fear, the emotions, the concern or puzzlement you feel. \u00a0Say your fears, concerns, or emotions out loud and write them\u00a0down.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. \u00a0 Ask and answer, “What is it I that want?”<\/strong> \u00a0Do you want: \u00a0help or support, answers to your questions, information, or someone to listen to your concerns\/emotions? \u00a0Whatever you want, ask for it out loud and write it down.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. \u00a0 Look around for what your want. \u00a0It is within reach. \u00a0If you ask for help or support, listen, say thank you and then decide what you will do. \u00a0Take the best action for you. \u00a0Results come from action.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Whether the gap you need to mine is comprised of what you have been doing since your last job or your gap is a career you want to transform, take action. \u00a0The action you take by stepping in and “mining the gap” will be an amazing experience.<\/p>\n

        Do you have a job search question or a question about “mining the gap?” \u00a0Post your question or comments below or give me a call.<\/a><\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        A few weeks ago I was with an amazing group of colleagues who share my\u00a0passion for helping others move their careers forward. \u00a0This group, The Institute for Career Transitions (ICT),\u00a0is deeply concerned and passionate about the long-term unemployed. We want to impact long-term unemployment with facts, data, and compassion. \u00a0We want to bring light to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,98,44,94,20],"tags":[128,111,36,127,125,126],"class_list":["post-2423","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-action-tips","category-interviewing-2","category-job-search-2","category-mindset","category-resources","tag-career-coaching","tag-institute-for-career-transitions","tag-job-interviews","tag-long-term-unemployed","tag-mining-the-gap","tag-mit"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/accelerateyoursearchnow.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2423","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/accelerateyoursearchnow.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/accelerateyoursearchnow.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/accelerateyoursearchnow.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/accelerateyoursearchnow.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2423"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/accelerateyoursearchnow.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2423\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2490,"href":"http:\/\/accelerateyoursearchnow.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2423\/revisions\/2490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/accelerateyoursearchnow.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2423"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/accelerateyoursearchnow.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2423"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/accelerateyoursearchnow.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2423"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}