Get Out of Your Comfort Zone in the Job Search

 by: Marilyn J. Tellez, M.A.

Most everyone these days knows what a comfort zone is. My definition is the place, environment and tasks that we have learned to do and feel comfortable with--a comfort zone.

Lots of people feel devastated when they have lost a job as their comfort zone no longer exists. In other words, the time, place, co-workers, tasks which have been performed on the job don't exist any more. It's an uncomfortable place to be in. There is no sense of direction.

However, if we as workers realize that a comfort zone can disappear at any time, it is important to get out of our comfort zone while working. It does not take lots of money to be adventurous in looking at what other people do.

When we establish a reason to find out about other's jobs, we can understand job roles and skills from someone else's perspective, thus enhancing our own. It means talking to peolple, volunteering for projects out of our own expertise, and being curious about what other people do.

These activities can help us to understand that the comfort zone of the past, may be a prison in disguise. Being more open to various experiences and people can help us to understand that the grass we may covet on the other side of the street, is really just grass; someone else's comfort zone. See your "zone" as something you can change constantly. That actitivty will keep you on your toes!