How to Stay Positive During the Job Search
You are currently living through a global pandemic, just started the fall semester, and are working to finish that degree. The future is just around the corner. The age-old question from family, friends, and colleagues has begun to sound, “what are you planning to do after graduation?”
Searching for a job is not only a time-consuming process but can be a scary one too. The pressure weighs from yourself and other external sources. You begin asking yourself questions such as, what is the right job for you? Will it pay well? Where do you want to live? What if you must settle for a position that isn’t perfect? When will I have time to work on my resume?
Everyone experiences the stress and frustration of job searching. It feels like the job search is a never-ending process, applying to many jobs but getting no responses, or a flat-out NO. Here are some quick tips and tricks to help you get through this process,
- Keep up your confidence
You are great, smart, and qualified. Throughout the process it is easy to begin doubting yourself. Recall all your experiences, skills, and passions to remind yourself just how much you contribute. Remember that comparing yourself to others is not a fair benchmark! You are a unique individual who has your own special talents that can and should be contributed. Sometimes it is hard to see the value in our own experiences. Stopping by the career hub our career coaches will happily help point out your skills that shine through.
- You’re Not Alone
Know that you are not the only one feeling this way. Talk to anyone who has been through the process before, and you will soon find out that this is a normal feeling and process. You are not the only one who has been told no. Social media can be deceiving as accounts post success after success, but comparing yourself to something that may be a façade won’t aid in the process.
- Keep up with your Routine
Sticking to your daily routine and structure will help keep up feeling normal. Factor in a few hours of job searching per week to mitigate burn out. Using the Professional Development Tracking Form is a great tool to keep up with the job search routine, https://oneillcareerhub.indiana.edu/resources/professional-development-tracking-form/
Don’t forget to schedule self-care time. What makes you happy? What helps you relax? Go out of your way to make sure you are taking care of you daily.
- Think Positively
Letting negative thoughts run through our brain is easy enough. Try countering these thoughts with a positive affirmation. Examples could be “I am a smart successful person”, “I won’t let a rejection reduce my value”, “I will make it through this time period”. The IU Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is another campus resource that may be able to support you through this tough process (https://healthcenter.indiana.edu/counseling/index.html).
- Engage with Others
When it comes to finding a job your support system and network are some of your most valuable resources. Make sure you are reaching out to those you care about and trust, so they know how you are feeling and what you are struggling with. The people around you may be able to offer suggestions or ideas you hadn’t thought about before or offer up a connection that will lead to an unexpected new opportunity. Dropping into the Career Hub Studio regularly to touch base with staff and go over progress and next steps is another great way to stay engaged and they can offer you advice on building your network on LinkedIN (https://oneillcareerhub.indiana.edu/channels/linkedin/).
Remember that the job search is not an easy process, and these suggestions won’t make everything magically perfect. Rejection is tough, finding a job is long and frustrating, and those are valid feelings. There are multitudes of resources worth checking out at oneillcareerhub.indiana.edu
Try to remember that you aren’t alone, and you are capable!
