If you’ve been on the job hunt for awhile, you may find that you’re starting to lose hope and enthusiasm. You may feel like taking a few weeks off. But that’s not in your best interest.
What’s causing this lack of energy and motivation? And what can you do to get yourself back on track?
1) Feelings
Were you laid off? You may be feeling confused, ashamed or depressed. That’s natural. But letting those feelings get the better of you can stop your job search in its tracks. When you have days you feel blue, just keep getting up. Take a shower, get dressed and don’t spend hours in front of the TV. Do at least two things that are job search related. Small steps are better than no steps!
2) Seeing Things in Black and WhiteIf your only goal is to get a job, you’ll feel like a failure every day that you don’t get one. Expand your focus to include smaller, achievable goals, like:
- “I will send out five resumes this week.”
- “I will contact five people in my network today.”
- “I will set up five informational interviews this week.”
This will give you a greater sense of control, too.
3) “Spraying and Praying”
When you apply for any job for which you’re remotely qualified, you may feel like you’re doing something. But good interviewers will know you’re not a good fit for the job, and you’ll just get more rejections, fewer responses and more negative feedback.
Instead, spend time tailoring each resume and cover letter you send out for that specific job.
4) Listening to Negative Voices
Whether it’s in conversation or from watching or reading the news, you’ll quickly become drained if all you hear are negative statements and opinions. Restrict conversations about your job hunt to only your most positive friends, family members and colleagues. And if it depletes you to read or watch the news, avoid it for now.
5) Settling for Work You Don’t Love
If you’re going after the same type of work you’ve always had but never liked, it’ll be harder to keep trying every day. Instead, try to figure out what job you’d be passionate about, and go after that one instead! There may be other people out there with the same skills, but if you have the energy, the commitment and the passion, it can make a difference.
If you still feel you need to jump-start your job search, try giving Synerfac a call! Whether you’re looking for short-term or long-term employment, we’ll help you find the job that suits you.