5 Top Tips to Get YOU Ready for the Roller Coaster ride?
Are you playing a game that you don’t know the rules for? Is the job search a roller coaster of emotion and experience, flipping from high to low on a daily or perhaps hourly basis? Clients often talk about the loneliness of the job search and how they felt that they were on the fairground ride alone until they realised that what they were experiencing is completely normal. How do you deal with the negative moments?
Hang on it’s going to be a bumpy ride
The job search to many people is simply a string of rejections, being too experienced, not being in the right sector, the fit not being 100%, someone else being a closer match and so on. With the rise of the talent shows on the television we are becoming all too used to a buzzer being pressed and someone saying, “It’s a no from me”. The job search can often feel very similar, hopes are raised when the phone rings and then shattered as a few days later there is silence. Rule 1! Never allow someone else to control your job search, be proactive not reactive.
Reset the internal voice
Rule 2. Reset your internal voice, you may get frustrated with the process and some of the characters you will meet along the way, however keep the voice in your head firmly on your side. It’s not “If I get a job…..” it is a matter of “When I get the job…..” a simple rephrasing makes a big difference. The job search roller coaster track is set to give you a bumpy ride, ensure that you refrain from allowing this to impact on your thinking. The recruitment process is not personal, the reasons for rejection are often smokescreens. Ensure that you do not allow these thoughts to damage your job search strategy. How do you manage your thinking?
Stay focussed on your Career Goal
Staying focussed may sound obvious, however if your strategy is only around the traditional advertised market you may get distracted by i) Jobs you think you can do – this tends to fail as recruiters are looking for the perfect candidate against an extensive client check list. ii) Jobs that are at a lower level – would you employ you to punch beneath your weight, or would you see this as a risk? iii) Jobs that allow you to do something completely different- have you considered how to sell yourself effectively to a different market? All of these distractions detract from your career goals and increase the likelihood of rejection. If you are taking a role simply for income replacement – stay on top of this and ensure you stay out of the security rut. Engaging a Career Coach is a great way of ensuring you are working towards the right goals. Book your one to one career coaching session now.
Positivity breeds positivity
At a senior level the roller coaster ride may last months as opposed to weeks, the higher up the ladder you climb the harder it is to find the ideal role, the process is more convoluted due to the levels of responsibility and experience required. Clients have often said they have found themselves being questioned by well meaning family and friends about why it is taking them so long to find a job. A Gatewood Client told me recently that his Wife’s Sister kept comparing her own job search successes against his apparent failures, the number of interviews she had in comparison to his. This was incredibly detrimental to his relationship with the sister and impacted on the level of support he felt. If someone has not managed at a Senior level they are unlikely to understand why it takes the length of time it does. At a senior level the job search is continuous, even when you are in your next position the blinkers must stay firmly off. Remember these people are likely to think that they are helping, find positive people who you can bounce ideas around with and keep you striving for the When not if you secure that position.
Smell the Roses
Overcoming the hurdle of Clients feeling guilty is a major challenge, stop and smell the roses. Job Seekers quite often feel guilty if they don’t feel they are spending all of their time job searching. The clients I work with have a clear plan, once they have completed their activities they are free to enjoy themselves – I often remind them that this gift of free time will be limited once they are back in their new role. Walk the dog, cut the grass, take a few days away, all of these are encourages when you are in control of your job search and you are working towards a clear goal. There is no need to feel guilty when you are being proactive!
- Rule 1: Never allow someone else to control your job search, be proactive not reactive.
- Rule 2: Reset your internal voice, stay positive
- Rule 3: Keep focussed, be clear about your goals
- Rule 4: Surround yourself with positive people
- Rule 5. Enjoy yourself
We would love to hear your job search stories on our blog or book a one to one career coaching session to ensure that you are maximising your career opportunities.