Turn Your Frown Upside-Down
“Who needed that job anyway.”
“You’ll find something better soon.”
“Keep your chin up!”
People who share words of encouragement during your job search often mean well. But if you’ve been on a fruitless hunt for months, it can be hard to maintain a positive outlook. And who can blame you? When you go on multiple interviews, only to never hear a peep back – or worse yet, never even land an interview – the cumulative experiences can be incredibly demoralizing.
You don’t need clichĂ©d advice. And you definitely don’t need to sit around feeling sorry for yourself. What you DO need is to find a silver lining to all the frustration and disappointment you’re experiencing. Use these tips from PrideStaff to turn your negative thinking around – and land a job:
Realize that you’re in good company. Steve Jobs, Walt Disney and J.K. Rowling all dealt with crushing rejection before achieving greatness in their careers.
Learn from tough experiences. Were you over- or underqualified? Did you commit a fundamental interviewing mistake? Did you receive a bad reference? You’ll never know unless you ask. Though you may be tempted to bury your head and pout, find out why you were passed over:
- Ask for feedback soon, while reasons are still fresh in the employer’s mind.
- Thank the individual for their help. Explain that you have another upcoming interview, and ask if they would be willing to provide some feedback to help you prepare.
- Get specific with your questions to get higher quality advice.
- Stay positive and professional, and don’t get defensive. Hearing an employer criticize your experience or interview skills can be tough. But if the feedback is negative, try to take it in stride and use what you’ve learned to become a stronger job candidate.
Focus on what you do well. Anytime you experience a setback, remember that bouncing back requires a healthy mindset. It’s easy to dwell on the downsides of being rejected, but far more productive to instead write down your accomplishments, assets and strengths. When a new opportunity does come along, replace negative self-talk (i.e., I’ll never get THAT job…) with positive affirmations – supported with real evidence from your list.
Find ways to shake off the blues. Great employers hire great people! If you feel weighed down by an unproductive job search, remember these tips from another recent post:
- Work on your world view. Resolve to have a more positive outlook, if only to mitigate the negative effects pessimism has on your job hunt.
- Get moving. Commit to daily exercise while you’re looking for work, to boost your mood and your energy level.
- Try visualization. Research shows that visualizing a positive outcome enables your subconscious to work towards it – even if you’re not aware you’re doing so!
On the job hunt?
PrideStaff can get you back to work quickly. When you register with us, we can help you:
- improve your resume and interviewing skills;
- broaden your experience with a variety of temporary assignments;
- earn money while you look for a full-time job.
Contact the PrideStaff office in your area to find out more about great local job opportunities.
