Are You Being Too Fussy in Your Job Search?

Some people jump into jobs too quickly, while others take what seems like an eternity to look for their next position. Granted, a job search always takes a long time, and you should be very careful in choosing a company. There is, after all, an awful lot at stake.

But it's also possible to be too fussy when looking for a job. These sorts of long, indecisive job searches usually come from the mistaken notion that there is such thing as a "Perfect" job. Career experts such as me are largely responsible for this perception. We routinely speak at length on getting a job that will make the stars shower and the sun shimmer in radiant hues every day.

Actual jobs, however, aren't generally that idyllic -- at least not five days a week anyway. Every once in a while even we perpetually upbeat career-coach types need to get a reality check on the myth of the perfect job. Don't get me wrong, I'm not turning pessimistic on you. I'm just tossing in a splash of realism to give you the right idea of how careers shape up in everyday life.

Here's why you should get away from the notion of finding the Perfect Job, and instead concentrate your job search on locating good sound opportunities that you can work well with over the long haul.

Jobs Change
Even if you did happen to stumble into anything close to a "perfect" job, it probably won't stay that way for long. Competition in the marketplace, new managers, changing company priorities, and new technologies can all quickly change the landscape of your ideal situation. Yes, such factors could also change things to make them even better. But often they don't.

You Change
As you progress in your career, your expectations, skills, and attitudes will inevitably shift and evolve. You simply can't assume that what's a perfect job today will be satisfying two years from now. Ideally, the job and the company will allow you make this personal progression in a positive way, giving you promotions and additional opportunities as you go. But it may not work out like that. Even if the culture was such in the beginning, as I said above, that can change too.