The Job Search Curve

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened up for us” – Helen Keller

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, a world-renowned psychiatrist, was born in Switzerland in 1926 and died in America in 2004. In her groundbreaking book entitled On Death and Dying, she first discussed what is now known as the Kubler-Ross model in which she proposed the “five stages of grief” as a pattern of adjustment. These five stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance have been adapted to many situations and are also represented in the job search curve below to help individuals understand their emotions whilst going through the career transition process.

What you will notice in looking at the curve is that there are two sides – from the reactive phase of “letting go” and dealing with a variety of negative emotions until, having made a choice, one will progress to a proactive phase, where one becomes more positive and focuses on establishing a “new beginning”.

During the process it is expected that there will be fluctuations, and you may well bounce back and forth a few times before arriving at your new beginning. What is important to notice is that the new beginning is on a higher level than “getting started”, an indication that you are likely to find yourself in a role more suited to your talents and abilities.


This is an extract from “Chapter 1 – Separation”, the first chapter of “A Bend in the Road – A Guide to Career Transition”, written to assist those faced with retrenchment in today’s  economic  environment.  Visit http://www.dmapeople.co.za/bendintheroad.html for further information.

10 Things to Understand About Job Security

1.  A stark reality of business today is that the concept of a “job for life” no longer exists.
2.  The quest for corporate efficiency – even survival – in the modern competitive environment has overcome time-honoured traditions of devotion, allegiance and shared loyalty between employers and staff.
3. We as workers are self-employed, supplying our skills, knowledge and abilities to an organization for as long as they are required.
4. It is important to be exposed to a variety of work experiences, for personal growth and self-development, to avoid the danger of stagnation in a single role for an extended period.
5. Career transition is an opportunity to grow and extend our marketability.
6. Taking responsibility for career growth is an empowering concept.
7. A dedicated and committed to personal work ethic is equally important to personal growth and career progress.
8. It is essential to be geared for and adaptable to mergers, takeovers, restructures, financial downturns and career growth opportunities.
9. Job security can often promote lethargy.
10. The challenge of insecurity can force us to improve, grow and develop the skills we need to market ourselves.

This is an extract from “Chapter 1 – Separation”, the first chapter of “A Bend in the Road – A Guide to Career Transition”, written by ourselves to assist those faced with retrenchment in today’s  economic  environment.  Visit http://www.dmapeople.co.za/bendintheroad.html for further information.