We could probably list a lot of traits that are critical to maintain during your job search, such as hope or persistence. But one is more vital than the others—courage.
Courage can be defined as the ability to do something you know is difficult. When you started looking for a job, you knew it was going to be hard. So just by beginning your search, you have displayed courage.
Now that you’ve begun, it’s easy to get discouraged. You can begin to feel like you aren’t going to find a job and start engaging in behaviors that make it less likely that you will. Keep your feelings in check during your job search, because they can sabotage your best interest. For example, if you become discouraged, you might stop applying to jobs or avoid spreading the word that you’re looking for one.
No matter if it’s the first day of your search or if you have been looking for a while, it is important that you continue to keep your courage. Fear, disappointment, and doubt might creep in, but you can utilize approaches that will help you stay motivated and on-track. Growing your confidence and determination is tricky, but both are vital if you want to accomplish a tough task.
Let’s look at some ways you can encourage yourself and become more likely to find a job:
- Remain hopeful. To boost your hope, turn down the volume on your inner critic. Take time each day to reassure yourself that you are going to be successful.
- Be proactive. Focus on what you are going to do to increase your odds. Start strong and keep at it.
- Set goals. Establish benchmarks and goals for your job search activities. By breaking up the task of finding a job opportunity into smaller pieces, you will be more likely to make progress.
- Celebrate wins. Each time you meet a goal, take a moment to pat yourself on the back before moving on to the next task.
- Be a cheerleader. Speak to yourself as though you are speaking to your best friend while they are looking for a new job. In this mindset, offer yourself some praise for your efforts:
“You are making so much progress on your goals.”
“You are going to make a great employee for some lucky company.”
“You can do this—you are doing this.”
Find the words that keep you going and let them become your inner dialogue as you work to find a job. It’s easy to let your internal chatter become negative, so be aware of it and focus on staying positive.
- Find a support system. Whether it’s an encouraging colleague, career club, or another type of support group, find others who will both hold you accountable to your goals and applaud your progress.
- Forgive your missteps and move past them. If you fail to get a job you wanted, if you miss a deadline, or if you start being hard on yourself, stop, forgive yourself, and get back on task. Lingering too long over a mistake you made will not help you. Evaluate what you can learn from it and then move on. Reach out to your support system if you get stuck on a disappointment. Another person’s perspective may help you get headed back in the right direction.
Your job search goals are worth your efforts. Review the list above throughout your search and consistently evaluate if you are discouraging or encouraging your own success. Best of luck to you and keep at it!