Stay Positive During Your Job Search

It can be hard to stay positive during your job search, but there are strategies that can help you stay hopeful and motivated. Keeping on the bright side of the search means you’ll have more confidence, more resilience, and more forward momentum from start to finish. Step Up Recruiting has put together a short, easy list of ways to make lemonade out of job search lemons!

6 Tips to Stay Positive During Your Job Search

1. It’s a numbers game. There’s no single perfect job out there, so don’t allow yourself to get discouraged when you don’t get the job offer from your first (or seventh!) interview. The more jobs you apply and interview for, the greater your chances of finding a job that’s a great fit with an employer eager to hire you. Keep going, apply for every job that you have the skills to do, and keep adding interviews to your calendar to increase your odds of job offers!
2. Keep improving. Didn’t get the offer? Take another look at your resume. Have you listed all your skills and education? Are there any errors? Is your address and contact info clearly marked? Then research how to win at interviewing. Practice introducing yourself, rehearse answers to common interview questions, and maybe even role-play an interview with a friend or spouse. Have your suit cleaned and make sure your shoes are clean and shiny. Bring your best to every application and interview!
3. Network. Reach out and let people know you’re looking. You’ll be surprised at the amount of understanding and even assistance that can come from networking with your peers. Know what company you’d love to work for? Contact us at Step Up Recruiting and ask if there are any openings at your dream employer! You never know where that next job will come from, so spread the word and be open to the possibilities.
4. Worth the wait. Patience is the word! Finding a great fit for your next job is definitely worth the wait. You’re less than happy with your current job, so isn’t it worth waiting for the right one?
5. Stay ready. Keep your resume updated and your interview skills polished. You never know when the next great job will cross your path! Being ready to email your up-to-date resume on a moment’s notice, or staying current in your field of expertise means that you’ll be ready to jump when the perfect opportunity shows up!
6. First time. If you have just finished college and this is your first job search, take advantage of ALL the resources available to you. Your university career center will often offer professional resume writing assistance, interview coaching, and can be a great networking tool to find open positions. Take advantage of everything your school offers in the way of preparation and networking for your first professional job search. This can give you an advantage over candidates who don’t have the same level of support, and it can give you more confidence at every stage of the job search process.