When starting a job search the usual drill is to update the resume and then to start looking for new work.

There is a better way that starts and ends with you.

You are in the market for a new job because you are dissatisfied, unhappy – perhaps miserable with you current job. Maybe you have been thinking about making a change for some time…and that last meeting with your boss reinforced the need to make a move.

Resist the urge to update your resume.

It has almost become (second nature) to start a job search by updating your resume, but this really is not the best place to begin. A better approach is to start by paying attention to where you are.

This is a great time for noticing what you do not like about the work you are doing, where you are doing it or (perhaps) the people with whom you are working. There are messages all around you that can help you design work that works better for you. Pay attention to what you like about your job, as well as what you dislike. By doing so you will be in a much better place to start designing new work.