Need Help Staying Positive?

June 24, 2011

STAYING POSITIVE

We have seen it time and time again – a candidates who is down because they lost their job and confidence. Often, candidates in that state of mind have trouble answering questions, “What are your strengths?” Their eyes glaze over and you can see the panic in their face. When a job has been lost due to budget cuts – it’s difficult to stay positive. However, it is necessary to stay positive! Below are some good coping tips.

It’s important to keep a routine through unemployment.
In fact, you could say your ‘new job’ is to find a job! Get up at your ‘regular time’, shower, get dressed and do your hair. Develop a schedule with a ‘start’ and ‘end’ time.

Develop a plan.
The prospect of sitting at a computer for hours, looking at job descriptions can be daunting and overwhelming. Set job searching daily goals. Take a day to update your resume and have someone you trust proof it. While you were typing away deep in your thoughts, you typed ‘two’ instead of ‘too’. Spell Check won’t pick up that mistake. Take another day to post your resume on as many job boards as possible.

Make a list
This might sound silly, but it helps. Make a list of your strengths, things you like about yourself, projects you have completed and are proud of, things you are good at, etc. When you feel down, read the list to remind yourself what you are capable of.

Good deeds
Volunteering is a great way to stave off the feeling of uselessness. Volunteering will give you people interaction, a sense of accomplishment, and it can also serve as a great networking opportunity.

Control
Put your energy and focus into things you can control. For example, your resume, your cover letter – these are things you can control. You control what they say, where they go, etc. Put your energy into them to make sure they are tailored to the jobs for which you are applying. Focus on setting up meetings with people in your networking groups.

Laugh
Hard as it may be, take time to laugh. Stay away from the news – bad news sells. Bad news brings you down. You will find out the things you need to know through friends and family. Listen to music. Listen to self-help CD’s. Watch the Comedy Channel and reruns of “I Love Lucy”. Do something that makes you laugh.

To view full online article: http://www.helpguide.org/life/unemployment_job_loss_stress_coping_tips.htm

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