10 TRUTH’S I’VE LEARNED ABOUT THE JOB SEARCH - Part 4

Truth #4: Staying and feeling healthy, in body and mind, will keep you positive and productive

You need to look and feel your best during your job search. Whether you are retrenched or finally ready to resign from your current company, you will undoubtedly be worried and aghast at the unknown staring you in the face. Retrenchment has the tendency to kill your self-belief and self-image. I often joke that next to being given the cold shoulder by your first love in school, retrenchment is the ultimate morale killer. In my days as a career transition consultant dealing with the retrenchment of those in senior positions, I often heard very emotive statements such as:

 “My world came crashing down…”

 “This is the biggest tragedy in my life…”

 “I can’t believe this has happened to me…”

 “I feel helpless…”

Although these powerful and emotional statements are perhaps more apt in life and death situations, the feelings associated with them are real. A job loss is as traumatic as death for some, and men apparently suffer a job loss more than women.

 If you are finally ready to quit your current job to seek something better, you will still have deep feelings and misgivings about your decision. You may be paralyzed by indecision and by real and phantom worries:

•  What if my new job is less than I expect…?
•  What if my job search takes longer than I thought and everyone in the office finds out about it…?
•  It’s been 15 years since my last job interview: can I really pass another one now…? 

Trust me on this: as positive and as emotionally strong as you may feel right now, when a job loss hits you, it will be traumatic. How well you manage the trauma and stress depends on your personality, your social ecosystem, and mental state. Reflecting back on my experience as a career transition consultant, I once coached a candidate who took two months before he could tell his wife that he had been retrenched. During that time, he woke up each workday, dressed for work, kissed his wife and five-year-old daughter goodbye, and left home just like he had done for so many years. Only instead of going to his non-existent office, he drove straight to my office and spent the day in one of the three small rooms we had to accommodate such situations. I spent many hours talking to him to help him rebuild his self-confidence and sense of self-worth. His job search started in earnest only after he was able to tell his wife. Fortunately, his spouse was understanding, and her support gave him the impetus he sorely needed to start believing in himself again.

When a job loss hits you, it will be traumatic.

If there is a plus side to being out of work, it’s that you will find yourself with lots of time to do things you never could while you were working. Examples include working out, eating healthy food, and enjoying long walks to think and reflect. Take advantage of this free time and make the most of it. Get up early and start the day with a healthy routine, be it a morning run or enjoying a good breakfast with your family. When this happened to me, I took the opportunity to work out at a gym 3 to 4 times a week. I usually felt refreshed and energized immediately after a decent workout, and the feeling would usually last for one or two hours. I used this time to write cover letters, prepare for interviews (if any were in the pipeline), or called someone to follow up on a job lead or simply to introduce myself. I found myself being and sounding more positive during these times compared to when I made calls or interacted with people later in the day.

Remember that unhealthy and/or depressed people will be detected easily during meetings and interviews, despite efforts to hide their condition. Being healthy and feeling good about yourself will increase your self-confidence, and you will come across as naturally positive as others notice the spring in your step.

TIPS FOR STAYING AND FEELING HEALTHY

• Make use of your free time to do some physical exercise and eat healthy to keep your energy level high and positive
• Establish a job search routine that makes the most of the good and positive energy you get after a workout or a healthy meal
• Take walks to clear your mind and recharge your mental energy

Footnote:

In my more than 34 years of work experience, I have been retrenched once and changed careers multi times over. I know how it feels to send out hundreds of resumes and never get any single call back. I have also work with companies helping them transiting their employees. For a long time, I wanted an ally whom I can collaborate in writing down thoughts and piecing out experience of job hunting too. Hence, I reached out to a former colleague, friend and thought-provoker, SK who is currently with Malaysia Airlines. SK and I at one time were with Right Management Inc, a firm specializing in outplacement services globally.

Like me, SK is passionate about assisting others to grow their careers. So, together we crafted "10 Truths I've Leart About Job Search"- articles containing the gems derived from both our experiences professional and personally. As always, we hope you will benefit from it and feel more empowered as you progress in your job search. These articles were professionally proof-read and edited by the Proof Reader Maestro himself, George Bohlender.

For more info, write to info@dragonfire.com.my