Beating the Job Search Blues
By Pamela McBride Editor's Note: This piece comes as a result of our readers'
input. Many thanks to those of you who responded to our job search
process survey.
Job search got you down? Whether you've been at it for six days or six months, the job search blues can creep in and sap you of all efficiency, effectiveness and self-confidence. The secret to getting over the doldrums, no matter how many times they threaten your optimism, is to continually chalk up the successes in your search. Here are four ideas to help you hang in there when your positivity plummets.
Break the Process into Identifiable Steps
First, realize that job search success can come in many forms, so you'll need to define what it means to you. Of course, the ultimate success is to get a great-paying job doing what you love, but you'll be doomed to experiencing failure over and over again if you don't broaden your definition.
Feeling victorious during your pursuit is as easy as breaking down the process into manageable parts. Write out a job search plan that includes what job search activities you want to do and when you want to do them. For example, maybe Sundays will be dedicated to identifying leads from the newspaper and the Internet; Tuesdays and Wednesdays to research and follow up; Thursdays for networking calls or interviews.
An alternate approach might be to simply write daily, monthly, or weekly "to do" lists, on which you can make a check mark for every goal you accomplish. This will be physical (and psychological) evidence that you are making progress. The more you experience progress, the more positive you'll feel and therefore the more motivated you'll be.
Look at Employment Numbers over Time
Another way to stay motivated in your pursuit for employment is to avoid letting the numbers get you down. Employment statistics and reports tend to present a gloom and doom picture of the job market and therefore frustrate many job seekers. However, unemployment rates are not indicators of how easy or difficult it will be for you to get a job, so don't base your individual potential on them.
Instead compare employment statistics historically and consistently. For example, look at how the current unemployment rate measures up to those of previous years and projections for future years to determine whether in general there is growth or decline in certain fields, geographical locations, industries, and demographic groups.
Choose Quality over Quantity
Also, the quantity of jobs for which you apply is not nearly as important as the quality of them. Concentrate your efforts on applying for jobs you really want and those for which you can best demonstrate your suitability. The fact of it is: you don't want to get a lot of jobs, you only want one of them.
Talk to People You Know
Networking is also a source of the blues for job hunters because the thought of finding and getting in touch with strangers who will talk with you about job openings isn't appealing or motivating. So then, get in touch with people you know. You'll feel more comfortable reaching out to personal contacts plus, you'll get better results. Even if they do not work in your career field, they might know someone who does.
The most important aspect of networking is nurturing the relationships and frankly, it's easier to nurture old relationships than new ones. And, if that's not motivating enough, you should know that when it comes to hiring, a qualified personal referral will almost always get the job before a qualified stranger will.
Happy Hunting!
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