How To Stay Positive During a Job Search

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stay positive during a job searchIt can take months or years to find that perfect job. And during that time period, it is essential to maintain a healthy and positive lifestyle in order to maintain an optimistic attitude when searching for a new position. With the amount of time it takes employers to make hiring decisions, job seekers can become very uncertain and question themselves. These times can keep you on edge and in a cloud of doubt.

When the job search wears on your attitude and outlook, it is very important to stay focused and upbeat. Here are tips for how to stay positive during a job search:

  • Focus on the things you can control: You can’t control how quickly a potential employer calls you back or whether or not they decide to hire you. Rather than wasting your precious energy on things that are out of your hands, turn your attention to things you can control during your unemployment, such as writing a great cover letter and resume tailored to the company you want to work for and setting up meetings with your networking contacts.
  • Keep a regular daily routine: When you no longer have a job to report to every day, you can easily lose motivation. Treat your job search like a regular job, with a daily “start” and “end” time. Following a set schedule will help you be more efficient and productive while you’re unemployed.
  • Create a job search plan: Avoid getting overwhelmed by breaking big goals into small, manageable steps. Instead of trying to do everything at once, set priorities. If you’re not having luck in your job search, take some time to rethink your goals.
  • List your positives: Make a list of all the things you like about yourself, including skills, personality traits, accomplishments, and successes. Write down projects you’re proud of, situations where you excelled, and things you’re good at. Revisit this list often to remind yourself of your strengths.
  • Make Job Searching Your Job: While this may not seem like it will help you stay positive, it will help you stay organized and on-task. Treat your job search like it’s a 9-to-5 job, meaning wake up in the morning (no sleeping in!) and get to work, take a lunch break, and then come back to it until five.
  • Keep Your Body Healthy: Eating well and keeping up physical activity makes your body feel good, in turn making you feel good. Plus, exercising or physical activities like yoga help ease stress. And of course, make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Feeling tired won’t help you motivate yourself to job hunt, and people make more mistakes when they’re sleep deprived.
  • Seek Support: If you’ve ever been in a rough place emotionally, you know going to a friend or family member to talk it out helps. The same goes for the job search – no doubt it’s stressful, emotionally and mentally, and even painful at times, especially if you’ve been at it for a long time, or you’ve just received a rejection. Sometimes all you need is a little moral support to keep you going.
  • Limit Those Negative Thoughts: For many, it may be too easy to find negative thoughts swirling in your head when you don’t receive a response from an employer after submitting a resume or going in for an interview.  Sometimes we all need a few minutes to sulk and pity ourselves, so give yourself five minutes, then snap out of it. Instead of thinking negatively about yourself, think of ways you could do better next time.
  • Volunteer: Unemployment can wear on your self-esteem and make you feel useless. Volunteering helps you maintain a sense of value and purpose. And helping others is an instantaneous mood booster.

In order to stay positive and up to date, read the latest information about your profession and stay current with what is happening around you. This includes your trade journals, the papers, and setting up Google Alerts that bring all information about any topic directly to your email. This ensures you stay an expert in your line of work.

Following these tips will allow you remain positive during long job search, and through lengthy interview schedules. What are some of the tips you use to maintain a positive attitude while job searching?

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