If you've been in a job search for more than a few weeks
you may be experiencing the feelings of defeat and despair,
not to mention the urge to give up. It's been a tough year,
and then some, for those who have lost jobs for whatever
reason. Interviewing with no second interviews or offers
coming in begins to wear thin - very fast.
Here are some tips to keep your spirits up when you're
feeling down during this process.
1. Don't give up.
You may have heard some of these stories before but they
remain inspirational.
* Thomas Edison patented 1,093 inventions in his lifetime,
but it took him 10,000 attempts to make an electric light
bulb work.
* Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse series failed to become an
instant hit, but he kept trying and in 1928 he added sound
and made it an electrifying success.
* Milton Hershey failed several businesses before he became
the "Chocolate King" and built Hershey town. He even went
bankrupt in his first business venture.
(Source "Milana Leshinsky" - http://www.accpow.com.)
These are great "successes-after-failure stories" that
couldn't have happened if these people hadn't continued to
pursue their dreams. Anyone can give up - that's easy! The
challenge is to pick yourself up after a failure and move
forward. That is what will set you apart from "the pack."
2. Accept the ups and downs
It's not unusual to have highs and lows during your job
search. Some days you may even feel like you're on an
emotional roller coaster. Everything looks hopeful one
moment with a job prospect ahead, and then it changes to
dark and dismal in the next moment when you receive a
rejection. Accepting the fact that this is a stressful time
you are going through and that a great deal of it is out of
your control will help you put things into perspective.
3. Give yourself permission to fail.
It is very disappointing when you feel like you "aced" the
interview and then wait for the promised call that never
comes. Be realistic - you aren't going to get a job offer
after every interview. Think of it this way, you didn't
marry every date you ever dated (at least most of us
didn't), and you aren't going to get a job offer after
every interview. And maybe that's a good thing, at least
some of the time. Remember, you are interviewing "them" as
much as they are interviewing you.
4. Work on controlling stress
Stress becomes a problem when it begins to affect your
lifestyle and health. Are you waking up in the middle of
the night or skipping meals because you are feeling really
down or upset? You may need to talk to someone who is a
professional to get some advice about relaxation
techniques. Park and Recreation departments in most cities
offer relaxation courses of some kind - yoga, pilates,
aerobics, or stress control exercises - for a nominal fee,
that could assist you in getting back on balance.
5. Continue to get "out there"
Study after study published continues to indicate that
"networking" is still the number one way to land a job.
Take advantage of every opportunity to be with groups of
people. This encompasses everything from your child's
soccer game to a Chamber of Commerce event. Informal
networking can happen at any moment and when you least
expect it. An example is of a man waiting for a bus. He
struck up a conversation with another man also waiting for
the bus and ended up getting a job lead and an eventual
offer. No one can predict when an opportunity might come
your way.
6. Prepare yourself
Preparing ahead of the interview will give you a definite
advantage. What this means is getting focused about what
you want the interviewer to know about you. You are
presenting a picture of you with words. It is important to
identify what makes you unique and what added value you can
bring to the position. Reading through the job posting you
are applying for and getting a sense of what it will take
to do this job will help you look at the process from
interviewer's point of view. You want to let the
interviewer know that you are the "solution to the
problem," and the best person for the job.
7. Keep in mind - you are not alone
Remember, it is an extremely tight job market and that for
every job opening there are four or five equally qualified
candidates standing in line behind you. It is essential
that you are prepared, focused, and able to tell the
interviewer what makes you unique and why you are the best
person for the job.
Keeping upbeat is a part of your job right now. When you
begin to give into the dark side you will project that to
others. You want to stay as upbeat as possible,
particularly while interviewing. Bringing confidence and
energy to the interview are the two most important
ingredients to connecting with the interviewer.
----------------------------------------------------
Carole Martin, America's #1 Interview Coach, is a
celebrated author, trainer, and mentor. Carole can give you
interviewing tips like no one else can. Get a copy of her
FREE 9-part "Interview Success Tips" report by visiting
Carole on the web at The Interview Coach
http://www.interviewcoach.com
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