| |
| |
|
Careers & Employment Information |
|
|
|
The #1 Job Search Mistake To Avoid: Not Preparing Your Mind!
Mental preparation is probably your most important task as you proceed in your job search. This not only needs to be worked on right from the start, but also on an ongoing basis. A healthy mindset is your best asset for the daunting task ahead. Here are some points to help you prepare mentally: 1. Maintain positive self-esteem. You must believe in yourself and your abilities. You have special skills and talents that are valuable. Talk and think positively about yourself. Projecting this is the only way prospective employers will believe in you. If you are not convinced yourself, you will not be able to convince anyone else. Your confidence and self-belief are two important personality traits that any employer looks for, and they cannot be faked, only instilled. Master them, and you'll be way ahead of the game. 2. Develop and maintain a positive attitude. Being negative about your current job situation makes a dramatic impact on how you project yourself to the outside world - and you are seldom unaware how terribly negative you really are. This is expressed in your body language, your tone of voice, your physical attributes, and your verbal communications - i.e. everything that you project. Prospective employers are especially attuned to pick up on this. Project a genuine, positive, well-balanced attitude to everyone you come across during your job search. Treat everyone with warmth and courtesy. Surround yourself with positive people and keep away from those who bring you down. 3. Don't act desperate. You may be currently unemployed or you may simply hate your current job immensely and want out or you may be seeking your first job. All these conditions have a propensity to project you as being desperate! Watch out for this. You have to ensure that you don't let anyone see you sweat. Maintain a confident 'calmness' and make sure you don't swing too far and appear indifferent. 4. Don't be a victim. It's easy to blame yourself and others for your situation - DON'T! Don't speak badly of your current employer or job. Let go of regrets about the past. Remove any bitterness you may have because this will leak into all of your communication - and you won't even aware of it. Eliminate this bad practice and you'll be rewarded with positive outcomes - not only in your job search - but also in every other aspect of living. 5. Don't take rejection personally. It's inevitable that you will not get job offers for positions that you've applied for or where you've had your 5th interview and it seemed a done deal. The position may have already been filled - or a person with a better matched skill set was selected. Consider a 'no' as one step closer to your ideal job. Transform a rejection to motivate you. If you wear your rejection on your sleeves - it will manifest itself in your character and behavior and will certainly hinder your job search progress. 6. Make Time For Yourself & De-Stress. Recharge your batteries and clear your mind. Read a good book or getaway for the weekend. Get some exercise to give you more energy - and improve your health and mind. Take classes or seminars on a topic you are interested in. Recharging your batteries will result in benefits not only during your job search - but also for the longer term on a personal level. 7. Stay Motivated & Optimistic. Job searching is challenging and it's easy to slack off and get de-motivated when things are tough. Staying motivated requires determination and conscious effort. Start each day on a upbeat tempo by doing something that puts in a good mood. Listen to your favorite music, enjoy a good cup of coffee, or go for a morning walk or jog. Then have a schedule that you stick to. A schedule will help you from being bored or feeling lost. However, remember not to make busy work. A schedule will also help you focus and be more productive. 8. Be persistent, take action. Don't wait for things to happen - make them happen! Take charge and accept responsibility for your job search. You are the key driver in your job search. Do not rely or family, friends, colleagues to find you a job. This is a passive waiting game. Your job search will end sooner if you are proactive. 9. Enjoy & learn from the process. This is a time for exploring new opportunities and further self-development. Reassess yourself, your goals, your core desires... Enrich yourself with new contacts and new friendships. Investigate different areas of interests which may lead you along paths you never imagined. Sarah Breinig is an Independent Recruiter and Job Search Coach. She is the 'webmistress' of http://www.best-online-job-search-tools.com where you'll find information, resources, tools & strategies to EMPOWER your job search.
MORE RESOURCES:
Employment - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Ask For That Raise! For nine years Jeff worked for company G as an engineer. Flying airplanes was his first love. Job Interview Preparation - What Employers Are Looking For When an employer decides to conduct an interview with you, there are certain things that they are looking for from you. Naturally, you are likely to focus on these things during an interview, but you should remember all of the tips in this manual because following those tips is what is going to make the employers see all of those things in you. Self-Knowledge: The Key To Finding The Right Career Direction Your career, like any journey, has a beginning, an end and a direction. For many people, the present direction of the career is probably not a result of entirely their own choices. Resume Software - The Hidden Pitfalls Disadvantages of Resume SoftwareFormat A large majority of software requires the use of their format; most commonly using the chronological resume style. While the chronological style is certainly the most traditional manner to write a resume, it is not always advantageous for everyone. Acceptance is the Answer to All Our Problems Many people today have lost jobs after decades of service; many others suffer within jobs they can see no way out of. In order to survive a painful job loss - indeed, any type of painful loss - we must come to some acceptance. My Career is in the Doldrums - Do I Need a Coach or a Therapist? Is Monday the worst day of your week? Can you hardly remember when you enjoyed going to work? Do friends ask why you seem so down? Maybe this has been going on awhile, and you're realizing it's time to do something. But where do you turn? At one moment you tell yourself "It's just my career?Change that, and everything will be OK". Job Trap; Relationships with Co-workers Most of us interact with our co-workers on a daily basis, its what helps us get through the day. Most employers go to great lengths to promote the "team", some thousands of dollars on retreats and seminars and the like. Telecommuting Cover Letters Question: How do I market myself online?Answer: With a stellar cover letter and resume.Okay, so let's get into the meat of this. The Top 10 Mistakes Job Seekers Should Avoid In Contacting An Employer There are numerous tools and resources available to guide job seekers through the steps of a career transition. These tools are very useful and suggest much that you should do. Talented People I was asked last week for an article about employment, "What is your favorite 'employment phrase'?"Wow, talk about tough questions! What sprang to mind were all the phrases that people should avoid like the plague, so I had to do some fast thinking to come up with one that I loved. After mentally narrowing down my options, I settled on one: 'talented people'. Build New Habits -- Payday Will Come -- Feeling that it never works is not a good excuse. You may even remember last year not getting past February. I Just Lost My Job: How Am I Going To Tell My Kids? One of the responsibilities of a human resources professional is to let employees know that their job has been eliminated. It is seldom easy to do and often painful for the person who is hearing the news. Can You Tell Me Something About Yourself! Interview Question, "Tell Me Something About Yourself?""Tell me about yourself" is the query, posted by one of the members and since yesterday I happen to go through many responses. I was just thinking?to give my opinion about the same. Before You Begin, Know What To Expect - How You Can Make a Living Proof Reading From Home Proof reading from home is an excellent way to make money, right? How hard and challenging can it be to do some editing after all?In fact it can be quite challenging to find a good quality proofreader that works from their house. This is due in part to the heavy demands it places on the individual and on their family. Everyday Is Saturday: Help for the Suddenly Unemployed I recently was "unhired" by my former employer. Unhired is a softer term than "fired" but it means the same. Master Responding to Selection Criteria and Win Your Next Job! As a human resources specialist for many years, I've seen it all when it comes to job applications. Most disheartening were those applications in which applicants had not addressed the specified selection criteria . Image and Style Count When I was a child, there was a pool nearby and every year my parents bought us season tickets. My brother and I swam there everyday. Why Are 95% of Job Applicants Not Called Back? Have you been desperately looking for a job and keep coming up short? Despite all that you do, does every attempt you make seem to fail? Are you at that point of quitting? Ever wonder why you have not been called back? Not long ago, I was right where you are. I was all over the place, running here and there looking for the magic pill to help me. Should I leave My Job? Most of us have to work for a living. Since we spend so many hours each week at our jobs, it's very important that there is a good fit. How to Turn Career Mistakes into Career Wins I recently talked with a client who was paralyzed at the thought of making another "mistake" in her career.She was stuck and unable to choose a direction.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
