Did you know that positive thinking in your job search will actually help you get a job faster? The bonus is that you will feel better, too, and have a much better experience overall. Negative thinking not only annihilates your confidence, it can actually cause you to do things that will hurt you in your search.
We are following the points from great article by Mark Tyrrell on How to Stop Negative Thinking in 7 Simple Steps and applying them to your job search to help you stay positive.
See How to Stop Negative Thinking and Stay Positive in Your Job Search – Part 1
See How to Stop Negative Thinking and Stay Positive in Your Job Search – Part 2
See How to Stop Negative Thinking and Stay Positive in Your Job Search – Part 3
See How to Stop Negative Thinking and Stay Positive in Your Job Search – Part 4
Mark says that the 5th step to staying positive is ‘Stop taking all the responsibility.’ What does this mean? It means that if something doesn’t work out, you think it’s all your fault–you don’t consider any external factors. For instance, if you don’t get the job, you may assume that it’s because they didn’t like you or that you flubbed the interview –but the real reason may be that the CEOs niece applied too, and the hiring manager was forced to choose her.
(The person who assumes responsibility for the negative also tends to NOT assume responsibility for the positive—in other words, if something good happens, it was luck rather than skill.)
To stop taking all the responsibility for anything negative that happens in your job search, you need to first realize that it isn’t as easy as it used to be to get a job. It’s that way for everyone, not just you. That means that you are going to have to make some changes and do something different than what you did before.
Second, take yourself out of the equation by setting results-based goals. Evaluate everything you do based on whether or not it’s getting you interviews and offers. If it isn’t getting you to that goal, do something else.
- If your resume isn’t generating interviews, don’t just keep sending it out. Change it. Add stronger bullet points. Quantify your achievements. Think of yourself as a product and make your resume sell you.
- If your LinkedIn profile isn’t getting you contacts from recruiters or hiring managers, find out what a good LinkedIn profile looks like, compare it to yours and make changes.
- If your interviews aren’t getting you job offers, hire an interview coach for feedback on how you’re presenting yourself.
The point is: identify areas where you can improve and take action. Taking action will make you feel better, and getting better results will make you feel fantastic—and you’ll get closer to a job offer.