Job search motivation: Staying positive when looking for a job

Job search motivation, at first, is not hard to find, you are raring to go with a positive attitude and an idea of what career you want. You are spending a lot of time applying for jobs, searching for jobs online and in broadsheets, creating CV’s and cover letters, creating a Linkedin profile, doing everything you can think of to give you the best chance of landing that dream job. 

But then it happens, you hit a wall. It’s been a while and nothing has really come about, maybe you’ve had one or two responses but no real progress to getting a job. You may begin to see your peers get jobs and suddenly you feel isolated in your worries and struggles.  And naturally, you begin to lose hope, but how do you stay optimistic about the future?

Well in this post you’ll learn some tips on how to stay positive and motivated when looking for a job. 

#1: Talk to family and friends 

• In a digital age where it seems everyone is living a perfect life, it would be easy to assume that you are the only one struggling to find your path. But it must be known that everyone has their hardships and being open and honest about it is the best way to help yourself. 

•  Talking with your family and friends about your job hunt is a great way to keep a positive attitude. You’ll learn that most people go through this stage in their careers and you’re not alone in your struggles. And you’ll realise that everyone at one point or another looses their job search motivation too.

• You may also get some great advice from your friends and family about the steps they took in order to get jobs and learn something new that may aid you in your own job hunt.

• As well as that you will also hopefully feel more confident in yourself. In knowing that everyone hits a block in their job searching at times and it is normal to feel the way you do.
  Also by doing this you will feel less isolated in your searching, you will now know that there are people who are there to help you in your everyday life. 

#2: Attend networking events

• Networking is something that some may find daunting. You might assume that this means going to as many networking events as you can and finding ways to introduce yourself and leave a positive impression on as many people as possible.
  
• And while networking events are worthwhile, and great places where you can meet people who can help you progress in your career it should be noted that there are other ways to create a professional network.

Social Media

• Social media sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter are great platforms to build a professional network online. From this you can begin to follow, interact and engage with people in your desired career.
  Online networking is a great way to stay motivated during your job hunt because it is a great way to keep connected and meet other job seekers.
  
• This can be very useful as you will be able to learn about the resources out there that you may have been unaware of and that other job seekers have utilized.
  And having an online professional network can make it easier to gain access to those in higher positions of your dream job and at times make it possible to get useful career advice from those within the industry. 

#3: Understanding the Job market

• Having an understanding of the job market is a great way to stay motivated while job seeking. Once you have gained an understanding of the job market, you will have a better knowledge of where you stand as an individual.

• From this, you will be able to tailor your job search and maybe even try a different approach to gaining employment.

• You can learn which job boards are best suited for what you are looking for, have job alerts for the relevant titles and companies and a more fine tuned way of applying for jobs. This will keep you motivated when searching for a new job as you will know where to focus your energy and resources more efficiently.

#4: Get creative

• During times of uncertainty and stress having a creative outlet is not only great for your mental well-being but is also a good way to help stay positive. And there are ways in which your creativity can actually aid your job hunt. One creative outlet that is also a great way to stay motivated is vision boards.

Vision Boards

• Vision boards are a great creative outlet that also allows you to picture what you want for your future, and lay it out in fun and artistic ways. You could do real-life or virtual pinboards and fill it with images and positive aspirations that will keep you motivated to try and achieve these goals. 
  

Reading and Writing

• Some other creative outlets you could be doing is reading and writing, there are various books and ebooks that you could start reading surrounding your chosen career.
  This will help you gain a better understanding of the industry you want to work in and may have helpful insights that you could use to upskill and improve your CV.

• Writing is also a great way to get creative. Whether it’s in a journal or notepad, spending time writing down your thoughts and emotions is a great way to center yourself after what at times can feel like a confusing or overwhelming process. 

#5: Take time off

• The idea of taking time off does not necessarily mean to stop applying for jobs, it means using your time wisely and knowing when to take a break. Your mental well-being is the most important thing to keep sound during this already stressful time.

• A major part of keeping your motivation high and your outlook positive is knowing how much is too much and setting boundaries for yourself. You may think that spending countless hours and days searching online and applying for jobs is the best thing you can do for your job hunt but is it really?

• After months of doing this eventually, you are going to begin to falter, you will begin thinking negative thoughts; after all, you’ve sent so many applications only to hear nothing back from the majority or a polite decline from a few. 
  However, if you have already begun to take some more practical steps like the aforementioned understanding of the job market, you will know how and where to suspend your best efforts. 

#6: Stay Motivated

• It is vital to stay as motivated and positive as possible when applying for jobs. It can be very disheartening at times when constantly applying for jobs and feeling like all you are getting back for your efforts is rejection. Job search motivation is easy to loose but you must try to keep going.

• You may begin to question whether or not this is the right path for you or if you are even good enough to get the job. But it is important to remember that in this day and age especially, all we see of people is their success but very rarely do we see the trials and tribulations they went through before they reached that point.

Everyone’s journey is different, for some it might happen straight away and for others, it might take some time. But as long as you have a clear and focused set of goals it will all be worth it in the end.

With these tips, you will now understand that there is so much that you can be doing that keeps you positive and is also at times highly productive. This is sure to help you with your job search motivation. If you still believe that you need help with any or all of these steps please feel free to contact us.