Stop using a cell phone for 6 hours! I asked my students to do this as an experiment. Just don’t use your cell phone for anything for six waking hours. You wouldn’t have believed the complaints I heard and the expletives I overheard.

And so they did. No phones for 6 hours. I heard interesting comments. There were some withdrawl comments.
“I picked up my phone and didn’t realize I didn’t even have a call to make.” “I needed to check my email.”
“I was going to be late to day care.” “I have to check next week assignments for your class.” (Make an exception for this class, that would only take a few minutes.”
“I keep missing calls.”
And on and on.

The lesson is clear. We have become dependent on cell phones as a way of life. My life too. I am not the innocent here.

A few weeks ago, a member of my family had to have a medical procedure done at the hospital. While I waited, I texted and emailed to keep up with my mailbox. It was simple, quiet, and allowed me to think about something other than the immediate concern.

When the procedure was over and he was safely recovering. I sent an email to several friends and relatives telling them all was well. It was very handy. No long phone conversations repeating the same thing several times, just one simple email sent to 10 people giving the most immediate news. Quiet? Yes. Convenient? Yes. Informative? Yes. Timely? Yes. Personal? No. This is another one of life’s tradeoffs.

It was a wonderful convenience and served the best purpose. There are huge benefits to being able “to always be in touch.”

The same thing works with your job search. You can immediately jump on a job lead or do a follow up check at Starbucks having a nice cup while you chat. Check for the email response at the same time. Or finally get the call you have been waiting for wherever you are. There is no doubt the cell phone has changed our lives and mostly for the good.

Years ago, you sent a resume via Uncle Sam, waited, called to follow up, waited, called sent another letter waited and then finally get the call, you are out picking up the kids, they leave a message, you call back, you miss the caller, they call back, and you finally get the interview.

Now you send an email, it gets there in seconds, you wait, you call to follow up, no call back, you send another email, it gets there in seconds, you finally get the call when you are driving, you can’t write, (and you don’t try, do you?). You have to call back, you miss the caller, they call you, you are sitting in Starbucks, and you talk and finally get the interview.

How much has changed, really?

We talk a lot about cell phones, email, and texting in our book. Learn more in A Taste for Work now available on Amazon.