Finding motivation as a job seeker

Andrew Seaman good topic on motivation for jobseekers. I am speaking from my personal experience when I used to a job seeker. What worked for me I chose to volunteer, I went to teach in #nepal & live in a village without a road for a bit. That made me humble & motivated me Volunteer in non-profit by sharing knowledge, go help in food banks, that will show you, how blessed you are not living off food stamp. You have a roof & loved ones. Job is not life. It is a phase I reached out to folks who were laid off & talked. We all got connected emotionally and developed special bonding. These people were my support system. Knowing that you are not alone on this journey & everyone is struggling with the healing process is very crucial to validate your emotions. These people were my motivators sharing which courses to take, how to reach out to contacts etc. Jobseekers need mentors who are knowledgeable & who have been on the same path as them. I had few good ones who shared their failures & overcoming low self esteem. Listen to them to motivate yourself. Have an accountability jobseeker partner to go through what went well & what would you do differently during the job search. Lastly, have a me time! Check pic from my journey 👇

Thanks, Andrew for inviting me to comment on this topic. I have clients and friends who lost their jobs due to Corvid-19. It's a stressful time for them. Some may handle the situation better than others, but in general, I have proposed a few approaches: 1. Take the time off, for how long you need it. Use the time to do something to make yourself happier, or to gain mental clarity, and get back on your feet to make a plan of action. This may be the best time to re-invent oneself. 2. Take an inventory of your resources (360-degree overview). These include people you know, skills you have, the experience you have accumulated, even your location -- flexibility, language skills, where you've worked, your financial situation etc. 3. Picture your future job, who you want to be, how much you want to make. Once you identify these positions, go back to your inventory to check how much of your resources can support you to get there. Do you need to take some new skills? Do you need to do some volunteering practice to get there? what other preparation do you need to get there? help from a mentor, a counselor, a coach? These steps are not easy. Balancing the making of money, impact, and self-expression is the key.

One way for job seekers to maintain motivation is to exercise "balance." Job search is hard and takes a lot of time and effort. It's easy to become consumed by the process. That's why job seekers need to step away from the process once in a while and know that it's OK to do that. Setting a schedule that includes time relaxing, reading, exercising, being with family, etc. can really help maintain a healthy balance and energize motivation for moving forward.

Take time to look at where you are in your career and where you want to go next - this is a good time for self reflection. Take advantage of virtual networking - you can expand your reach even further right now. Connecting with others is also a great way to build community, which can also inspire us. Look at each interview/interview process as on opportunity for learning - ask for feedback so you can continue to improve. Ensure you have a plan for your job search and make a habit of setting a daily schedule - and then follow it. It will give you a great sense of accomplishment at the end of each day.

Networking is critical - but approach it from a place of service or curiosity vs that of need/neediness. When you are able to shift that energy away from what you need to that of how you can support, you shift away from a place of scarcity to that of abundance and open doors for others to be drawn to you. In addition, take this time to focus on asking yourself what it is that you really want. This might be a great time for a reset - OR a chance to take on some new skills/learnings for you future too.

Andrew Seaman Thank you for inviting me to comment on this post. After nearly 20 years of helping job seekers transition, there is one thing I know for sure: those who succeed do so because they have created alignment between their internal world and external environment. Searching for a job takes a huge mental, emotional, and physical toll and can be very stressful. First: Take care of yourself. Make healthy food choices. Get sufficient sleep. Take time for friends and family. Get exercise and move your body - it's one of the best ways to shift your energy and your mood. Second: Make time to do a deep dive and look inside. What motivates you to do your best work? Third: Look outside. Which work cultures empower you to perform at your best? Which leadership styles bring out the best version of you? Where do you work best? Fourth: Understand your strengths. What are they? How do you prefer to use them in the workplace? Which might you be overusing? Fifth: Discover your Why. What is it that your heart wants from your career? How do you want to contribute to the world? When you have clarity on these items, then reach out to build your network, strengthen relationships, and conduct due diligence for your job search.

Thanks for inviting me to comment on this topic Andrew. A woman sent me this note yesterday: “𝗜'𝗺 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜'𝗺 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺. 𝗜'𝗺 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘁.” It’s difficult to find the motivation to go on when you feel like this woman. This is the time to rethink your strategy: ✔️ Do a bit of self-reflection. Ask yourself, “What am I doing well, and where can I improve?” ✔️ Don't go it alone. Why not start your own online job search club to motivate each other? ✔️ Take a mental health break, unplug, take some 'me-time' to relax. The social isolation we are facing now because of the pandemic has restricted real-life connections, but a brief walk will give you a chance to see other walkers to smile, wave or say “Hello” to. It will also clear your head of the negative cobwebs harbouring there. The job search is a full-time job. It's time to take a 'vacation' from this full-time job. You deserve a break!

Stay Motivated:  𝟙𝕤𝕥  - 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭. When you expect it to happen it’s not such a devastating blow and you’ll be able to snap out of the depression that follows faster.  𝟚𝕟𝕕 - 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐀 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐟 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Know what you are going to do if after a certain time you still haven’t landed a job. Plan of Actions can consist of anything that will help get you a job (ex: get certified, take a college class, finish college, volunteer to gain experience, etc.).  Being actively engaged in bettering yourself for your career helps to add fuel to your motivation and your belief in what you can do. 𝟛𝕣𝕕 - 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩. Have someone look over your resume and/or seek guidance from a career coach, find a mentor. But never reach out with the intent on someone doing the work for you. You need to be actively engaged in your own plan because it’s the waiting and doing nothing that makes you lose motivation faster than anything.

Here are some tips that I provide to individuals in this situation- 1. Know that you are not alone - it is a mindset shift for some people. Don't take the prolonged furlough or layoff personal. 2. Use the time you have as a way of 'catching up'. Self-development doesn't have to be expensive. There are free resources assessible for those who have internet. 3 Use the time to update your resume/CV/LinkedIn profile and set alerts on varioius sites IF you know what type of job/career you are seeking. 4. Spend more time with family and friends - get re-connected if you will. For those who had jobs/careers that kept them on the road or out of touch with family members, this would be a great time to reinvest/recommit. I have found some clients have decided to change their careers to simply be with family more. 5. If you don't have internet or are in a state of flux, use the time to network (while socially distancing) - especially if you are affiliated with a professional organization. There are doors of opportunity that open all the time. Use the time to shadow or intern as well. 6. Also, if you don't have a hobby, make a commitment to do something you enjoy or spend time on yourselfsuch as commit to healthy eating.