HOW TO STAY POSITIVE DURING THE JOB HUNT

We’ve all been there. Job hunting can be repetitive, long and full of rejection. Not quite the perfect combination for positivity.

So how can you keep that smile on your face through it all?

Learn

Take this opportunity to learn something new. Another skill always looks great on your CV and can display your proactive attitude during an interview (all employers love a bit of self-driven learning). If you’re still in your current role, think about what could be helpful to know. It could be understanding a particular system, discovering what another department does or speaking to someone whose role is exactly what you want to do in the future. Think about what could help you on your job hunt or in your next role. Are there any skills that keep popping up in the jobs you’re applying for? That can be a great place to start. If you’re not currently working, have a look at some online learning platforms, such as www.udemy.com.

Plan

Create a plan, don’t just approach your job hunt aimlessly. Whether this is spending an hour a day or applying to a job a week, whatever works best for you. Aim for around 3-5 tasks a day and break each of these into manageable chunks so it doesn’t feel too overwhelming. Creating a plan and sticking to it will help you to feel productive, especially on those days which are a bit more of a struggle. It’s not always easy sticking to a plan so consider two things – ways to help you complete the plan, and what obstacles might get in your way. You could put reminders in your phone, block time out in your calendar or reward yourself after you’ve ticked everything off. By anticipating what obstacles may derail your plan, you will already be a step ahead. Once you’ve done this, think of ways you could overcome them, that way you already have the solution in mind.

Focus

This isn’t about focusing on the job hunt, quite the opposite actually. Remember to shift your focus onto other things in your life that make you smile. It’s easy to get bogged down by job hunting and feel like it’s all-consuming but remember it’s one element of your life. Meet up with friends, take some time for self-care, watch a series on Netflix, cook something delicious. Spending every waking moment applying to roles won’t necessarily get you a job any faster.

Mindset

Rejection or never receiving a reply isn’t easy, especially when it feels like it’s happened a hundred times. Sometimes those little negative thoughts start to creep in… “no wants to hire me”, “I’m rubbish at my job”, “I’m not good enough to get this job”. Put a stop to these thoughts by reminding yourself of your worth. Write down at least 15 reasons why you are worth hiring - it can be your attributes, attitude, work ethic or skills. Place this list somewhere visible and remind yourself whenever necessary that it’s their loss they don’t have your incredible (*insert list here*).

Support

Sometimes it can feel like everyone has/is getting a job except for you. But remember their path is different to yours and normally when we’re in that thought pattern, we’ve generalised and distorted a whole lot of information. You’re not in this alone and it’s ok if you need some additional support – friends, family, online communities, a coach. Reach out to your networks for support and opportunities – you never know where a conversation can lead.

 A positive attitude might not make the job hunt go any quicker, but hopefully it will make it a little more enjoyable.

Elyssa Desai is a certified Confidence Coach based in London, who helps women stop self-doubt and master their mindset to get the life they want. Follow her on Instagram for confidence and mindset tips.