How to stay resilient during your job search

Looking for a job takes time and energy. If you’ve been out of work for an extended period it is very easy to lose confidence and motivation.  The more resilient you are, the more productive and effective your job search will be. Here are some ways you can help to build up your resilience and help to keep your search on track.

1. Routine – for most of us our lives have been dictated by routine. The 9-3 of school and then the 9-5 of working life. Without the framework of a job to guide you, it is easy to lose focus.  Before you know it, days have passed and you’ve haven’t made any real progress. Try to establish a routine and stick to it.  Get up at the same time every day, schedule activities for certain times, for example an hour looking for relevant jobs, 2 hours networking and reaching out to contacts etc.  Whatever tasks you set, try to stick to them it will help you be more productive and keep you focussed on your goal.
2. Rejuvenate – looking for work can be draining, and it can easily take over all your thoughts. It’s not good to spend too much time focused on a single activity.  You need to take a break.  Find something you enjoy doing and make time to do this every day.  Allowing your brain to switch off from looking for work will help to revive it and let you attack the task with more energy when you return.
3. Stay engaged – just because you aren’t working don’t distance yourself from your profession. Keep up-to-date with the latest news and happenings, this will not only keep you connected but also give you relevant information and help with any interviews.
4. Stay healthy – Eating well and exercising regularly are good for the brain as well as the body. Don’t become a ‘couch potato’. Apart from anything, daytime TV can itself be soul destroying.
5. Be positive – it is easy to say but try to remain positive. Our brains can be hard-wired to think the worst and to notice and focus on the bad.  ‘I’m not going to get the job anyway’ if you go into an interview or application process with a negative attitude it won’t help.  Going with a positive attitude such as, ‘I might not have all the experience, but I really feel my skills fit’ or just a simple ‘I can do this’ will all have an impact on your performance.
6. You can’t win them all – when looking for work you will receive more rejections than offers. Be realistic when applying for roles, while you might want to apply for as many jobs as possible, this just means you’ll receive more rejections. Try to only apply for roles where you feel you are a good match with regards to skills and experience, to jobs that you would actually accept if you were offered. Otherwise you’re just wasting your time and increasing the number of rejections you receive.  Remember looking for work is business, it’s not personal.  If you’re not called to interview, 2^nd interview or offered the role it isn’t a personal attack.  You just weren’t right for that role. As hard as it is, dust yourself off and look for the next opportunity.

‘How to stay resilient during your job search……’ was written by Gemma Smith, Career Concierge, Chiumento Ltd. If you like what you’ve read why not follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter and read all our future careers advice and musings on the world of work.