Seizing the opportunity

We moved this past weekend. Only two blocks away, but every. single. thing. still needs to be boxed, wrapped, loaded, unwrapped, and unpacked, no matter how far away you’re moving. During those frantic final hours of packing, you make a whole bunch of decisions: keep? trash or recycle? store? use? repurpose? donate?

Then there are approximately seventy frillion decisions that need to be made as you’re arranging your new residence: Which cabinet should the dishes go in? Shall we put the spice rack on the inside of the left pantry door, or the right one? Which side of the bedroom closet should I claim? What should we do with the rocking chairs (yes, plural) that don’t really have a place in the new house? Why do we have all these plastic storage containers? Where should we put all of these extra pillows?

Moving is physically *and* mentally exhausting. But we’re in, we’re maybe 80% unpacked, and the wifi is screaming fast.

We hadn’t planned on moving so soon; when we signed a long-term lease two years ago, we were hoping to stay put for at least a few years. But we were presented with an opportunity, and because we were prepared, we were able to pivot quickly and make it happen. And, happily, the whole thing ends up being much to our benefit.

When opportunity knocks, it’s best to be ready so you can be ready to take advantage of whatever’s in front of you. So, too, with employment. Have you ever received a hot lead on a job that would be ideal for you, but you missed out on it because updating your resume seemed like more than you wanted to tackle? Or maybe you’ve gotten one of those calls from a headhunter: “My client has a great job opening, do you know of anyone who might be interested?” – and you are, but… Or, you find yourself quite suddenly unemployed, but it’s been years since you updated your resume and, come to think of it, your resume Word doc is still on your work computer….

If your resume is updated and ready to go, you can respond quickly to opportunities that arise. See a great job posting online? Boom. Your friend calls and says there’s an opening at their company that has your name all over it? Forward your resume that instant. Sometimes, it comes down to whose resume comes in first; don’t you want to be in a position to respond quickly?

Just like moving where you live can give you a fresh perspective, changing jobs might be just the thing you need to jump-start your professional life. Those who view it as an opportunity instead of something to be dreaded will always end up in a position to pick and choose among the best opportunities. Get yourself ready now so you’re ready to jump when the time comes.