I talk to potential employees everyday and the one thing that I consistently run into is a lack of goals or knowing what they want for their future. When asked about if he planned on furthering his education in the future one applicant with a GED replied, ”I’m smart enough”. Well obviously not because he had been unemployed for an extended period of time and with the attitude he exhibited he should plan on an even longer period of time in the unemployed status.

Here are a few steps to help your own personal economy when it comes to getting a job:

• Be friendly and cordial on the phone
• Say yes sir, no sir, yes mam and no mam (For those who weren’t taught simple manners)
• Say thank you
• When asked questions about career goals have at least a slight idea of where you would like to be. Hint:  (Employers are looking for highly motivated people that want to move up believe it or not)
• Never tell potential employer, ”I don’t plan on furthering my education, I’m smart enough” unless you don’t want that particular job in the first place. Say instead, ”If it’s required I would pursue further education

Simple manners will take you a long ways in helping you to obtain employment. The people I have run across lately calling on the phone scare me because they are our future. I like to look at things on a very positive note however some of the people I speak with are making it very difficult to maintain a positive outlook on the future of this country.

Instead of just letting life happen to you you also might want to consider sitting down and contemplating where life is taking you versus where you want to go. Life goes by fast, at almost lightning speed. You need to slow down and look at things around you, talk to the ones you love more one on one, set goals for things you and your family would like to do. Plan these things out with your family. Design your life instead of just letting it design you.

Are You A Wondering Generality?

I speak to people everyday about their employment status and verify their applications for employers. When I get to the question we have to ask of every applicant, “Professionally speaking where do you see yourself in the next 3 to 5 years?”, the answers I get are absolutely astounding. It always starts with “Aaaaaahhhh well I dooonnn’t know, I haven’t really thought about it” or they’ll say “I see myself just working” aaaannnddd they actually have to ask why they aren’t having any luck finding a job.

Show You Have Some Good Raising

Are people really this ignorant all of a sudden these days? First off you never talk to a potential employer with, “yeah”, “sure”, “I guess so”. You show some respect. At least act like you have a tad bit of sense or respect, that you know how to speak to someone on a professional level anyway, even if you don’t at least pretend you do.

I absolutely cannot believe that anyone is trying to navigate through life without some idea as to where they are going. And even more shocking is the fact that these individuals actually wonder why they haven’t gone further in life or complain that people who have a lot are lucky and that they are treated so bad. No they are not lucky, they just have a goal and know exactly what they want and where they are going and therefore they reach their goal through hard work on top of knowing where they are going.

Do You Want To Be A Meaningful Specific?

Listen, if you want to be a wondering generality as Zig Ziglar says rather than a meaningful specific then that is your business, however the issue comes in when you complain about your lot in life and yet not only are you not willing to work as hard or spend as much time working on your craft as someone who is more successful but you aren’t even willing to take the time to plan juuussstt a little bit where you want to be in life in a few years.

You Have A Target Whether You Know It Or Not

You will hit your target no matter what it is. Whether you just want a regular job and don’t see yourself accomplishing anything significant or you see yourself being highly successful in your field maybe in a management position or owning your own company. It takes just as much energy to dream little as it does to dream big so why not just go ahead and dream big?

Are You Happy Living In Squalor or Just Being Average?

I realize some people are truly happy with being average and although there is nothing wrong with that because after all it is your life, there is something wrong with complaining about it afterwards when that is the path you’ve chosen to trod down. Look, if you don’t want anything more and you don’t wish to have goals and a real life fine but don’t expect those that do choose to excel to do less because you feel it isn’t fair because it isn’t being handed to you. The world doesn’t owe you squat. You owe it to yourself and your family to make big things happen in yours and their lives.

Without a goal you have no target to hit. However as stated earlier you will still hit something but it will just be whatever comes your way. Don’t let life just happen to you blowing around like a leaf in the wind. Design your life and make something happen by setting the proper goals. Put some big dreams into action.