According to the Discovery channel, great white sharks “chomp on seals” typically below the surface of the water. A rare exception occurs in South Africa. In this geographic area, competition for food is tight. Because of this, South African great whites actually leap out of the water to snatch their prey.The lessons in this fun fact are inspiring. (Or horrifying, if sympathies lie with the seal.) Either way, there’s something impressive about going above and beyond to beat the competition. Today, we’re on Team Shark and would like to take a moment to appreciate one of the most fearsome and misunderstood predators of the sea. What can sharks teach us about career development? Plenty.

Sharks change when necessary

Like the great whites that jump uncharacteristically out of the sea when they need to, successful job seekers adapt to their competitive surroundings. They must try new moves when their current strategies aren’t working. Are your job seeking methods not working? Then it’s time to innovate, break worn out patterns, and look for new ways to get ahead.

Sharks are not robots

Movies like Jaws have sparked the idea that sharks are dead-eyed, remorseless killers with no intelligence, no sense of the future, no concept of teamwork, and nothing in their brains but a relentless drive to chomp. The more we learn about sharks, the more we learn that this just isn’t the case. Sharks may have more in common with clever, collaborative dolphins than we once thought. They tend to solve problems, remember events, and work together in ways that some researchers find surprising. Take note of this. Don’t blindly pursue a job search. Come at it with the same cleverness and problem solving skills as a shark.

Sharks don’t complain

When a shark isn’t happy with his or her situation, she doesn’t sink to the bottom of the sea in despair. Take a look at the face of a shark and you’ll notice the expression doesn’t change that much. When sharks want something, they go get it. Strong job seekers do the same. When ~~sharks~~ strong workers are passed over for a promotion or denied a well-earned raise, they don’t trudge sadly back their desks. They get another job. They set the terms, they express their expectations clearly, and if those expectations aren’t met, they make other plans.

Sharks don’t dwell on the past

Sharks don’t hold grudges. (Okay, the shark in Jaws held a grudge, but real sharks don’t do that.) They live their lives in forward motion. When something bad happens, they keep moving and they don’t let the events of the past hold them back. There’s always a new goal, a new project, or a new chase. If one job application doesn’t work out, sharks don’t stand still and dwell on what might have been. They keep swimming. For more on how to channel the energy and determination of the shark during your job search, explore the resources available at MyPerfectResume.