Pier 3 Condo

It’s been rough going during the past year, and then some, for those who have lost jobs for whatever reason. If you’ve been looking for a job for more than a few weeks you may be experiencing the feelings of defeat and despair, not to mention the urge to give up. Interviewing with no second interviews or offers coming in begins to wear thin – very fast.

Keeping your spirits up during this process is important – here are some tips to help.

1. A must! Keep a good attitude.

You’ve probably heard some of these stories before, they do remain inspirational.

Thomas Edison patented 1,093 inventions in his lifetime, but it took him 10,000 attempts to make an electric light bulb work.

Milton Hershey failed several businesses before he became the “Chocolate King” and built Hershey town. He even went bankrupt in his first business venture.

Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse series failed to become an instant hit, but he kept trying and in 1928 he added sound and made it an electrifying success.

Herb Cain began his journalism career in 1938 writing for the San Francisco Chronicle. 58 years later he received a special award from the Pulitzer Prize board.

Johnny Mathis a George Washington High School graduate became a star athlete at San Francisco State College with his high-jump record. He later achieved three Grammy awards for his singing ability.

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no help at all.” ~~ Dale Carnegie

The challenge is to pick yourself up after a failure and move forward. That is what will set you apart from “the pack.” These great “successes-after-failure stories” couldn’t have happened if these people hadn’t continued to pursue their dreams. Anyone can give up — that’s easy!

2. Give yourself permission to fail.

Job opportunities can come your way at the most unusual time and place. Study after study published continues to indicate that “networking” is still the number one way to land a job. Take advantage of every opportunity to be with groups of people. This encompasses everything from your child’s soccer game to a Chamber of Commerce event. Don’t forget to use the social networking sites available online to reconnect with your colleagues and those with common interests. Sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Be sure to be very professional when using these sources.

Be realistic – you aren’t going to get a job offer after every interview. Think of it this way, you didn’t marry every date you ever dated (at least most of us didn’t), and you aren’t going to get a job offer after every interview. And maybe that’s a good thing, at least some of the time. Remember, you are interviewing “them” as much as they are interviewing you.

3. There are going to be ups and downs

Everything looks hopeful one moment with a job prospect ahead, and then it changes to dark and dismal in the next moment when you receive a rejection. Accepting the fact that this is a stressful time and that a great deal of it is out of your control will help you put things into perspective. It’s not unusual to have highs and lows during your job search. Some days you may even feel like you’re on an emotional roller coaster.

4. Remember, it’s okay to fail

Stress becomes a problem when it begins to affect your lifestyle and health. Are you waking up in the middle of the night or skipping meals because you are feeling really down or upset? You may need to talk to someone who is a professional to get some advice about relaxation techniques. Park and Recreation departments in most cities offer relaxation courses of some kind — yoga, pilates, aerobics, or stress control exercises — for a nominal fee, that could assist you in getting back on balance.

5. Continue to get “out there”

Study after study published continues to indicate that “networking” is still the number one way to land a job. Take advantage of every opportunity to be with groups of people. This encompasses everything from your child’s soccer game to a Chamber of Commerce event. Informal networking can happen at any moment and when you least expect it. An example is of a man waiting for a bus. He struck up a conversation with another man also waiting for the bus and ended up getting a job lead and an eventual offer. No one can predict when an opportunity might come your way.

Don’t forget about trying out some social networking online – places like Facebook and LinkedIn to connect with past colleagues and contacts.

6. You must be sure to control stress for the good of you and your family

Don’t let stress become a problem and be careful not to let it affect your lifestyle and health. Are you waking up in the middle of the night or skipping meals because you are feeling really down or upset? You may need to talk to someone who is a professional to get some advice about relaxation techniques. Park and Recreation departments in most cities offer relaxation courses of some kind — yoga, pilates, aerobics, or stress control exercises — for a nominal fee, that could assist you in getting back on balance.

7. Remember – you are not alone

It is essential that you are prepared, focused, and able to tell the interviewer what makes you unique and why you are the best person for the job. It is an extremely tight job market and that for every job opening there are four or five equally qualified candidates standing in line behind you.

Keeping upbeat is a part of your job right now. When you begin to give into the dark side you will project that to others. You want to stay as upbeat as possible, particularly while interviewing. Bringing confidence and energy to the interview are the two most important ingredients to connecting with the interviewer.