Sometimes in the midst of a job search, you feel powerless. After all, you don’t make the decision to hire yourself. But you DO have the power to do things like this:
- Volunteer to help somewhere during the holidays — bell ringer, package wrapper, etc.
- Let someone with a few items go ahead of you in the checkout line
- Smile at people you see
- Spend specific time every day on following up a job search resource or improving your resume
- Spend specific time every day keeping your home and yourself maintained
- Spend specific time every day connecting with family and friends
- Give the gift of time instead of stuff
Marketing would have us think that money and the latest products are what is important. And money is important; to pay bills and buy food and other necessities. However, this culture creates a sense of worthlessness if you don’t have money for luxuries and that gets many in debt over their heads during the holidays even when they have good-paying jobs.
When you are diligent about keeping your surroundings and yourself clean and organized, you function better. When you connect with friends and family, it reminds you that you are an important part of a network. When you do one thing every day to keep up your search for employment, you are planting seeds that will truly grow in season.
The inner strength to withstand the pressure and be creative about gifts instead of buying them, to smile when you feel grumpy, to choose listening to someone’s boring story because it matters to them and you love them, to keep steadily doing the things that will make the day better when you don’t feel like combing your hair — these are superhero powers.
This guest post is by Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, BS/HR, a Certified Professional & Executive Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, Inc. She has achieved international recognition following nominations and wins of the prestigious T.O.R.I. (Toast of the Resume Industry) Award. Find Erin at http://exclusive-executive-resumes.com.