Keeping A Positive Mind During Your Job Search

One of the biggest factors in a successful job search is mindset. Anger, frustration and discouragement can cause a job search to fizzle. Optimism, enthusiasm and an open mind will take job seekers in the direction of new and fulfilling work.  Here are some things to do to keep a positive mindset.

Make STRATEGIC progress every day
Some job seekers say “I spend all day, every day looking for a job. I apply for every job I see. I am doing everything I can.” Yet they are not seeing results. That may be because their work is not strategic, and their effort  may be frantic, scattered and random. For better results, have a very clear and thoughtful plan to get you there.  Don’t measure success based on time spent on job seeking. Measure it based on step-by-step movement towards your desired outcome.

Set Challenging Goals
Nothing feels better than crossing something off the to-do list. To assure the right kind of activity in your job search, set aggressive but attainable goals, track your progress and reward yourself for meeting them. (Read our blog on goal setting for examples.) Set goals in each area of your job search: Exploring industries and jobs, reaching out via social media, following up on potential contacts and leads. Don’t allow yourself to progress in an area that is easy for you and stall out in a more difficult area.

Focus on what you can control
It’s easy for a job seeker to feel frustrated by what feels like an out-of-control process: Recruiters who don’t return calls, companies that pull back open positions and prolonged hiring processes. To keep a positive mindset, take control of what you can and let go of the rest. For example, set up a schedule to reach out to the recruiter in a positive way and don’t second guess the reason for his or her non-responsiveness. Use a drawn out hiring process for an open position to generate leads for other positions. Be proactive and stay busy with productive activity. There is always something the job seeker can do to impact his or her success. Feeling helpless creates a negative outlook. Taking control creates a positive mindset.

In part two, inspiration and ways to change your thinking around your job search.