Many of you might not know I am stylisly searching for a job. It's been a goal imposed on me by my mum and friends since the beginning of the year. It's October, and the job hasn't showed up yet.
Staying Hopeful While Looking For A Job
I told a close friend I was looking for my dream job, and he said I didn't look like one who is jobless. And it got me wondering . . .
I believe in being honest about who I am and where I am. I hate to pretend to be what I am not, but seriously, have I been putting up a face like I have all the money in the world?
No.
I have only been conscious about staying inspired regardless of what my bank account balance looks like. So it might be a little difficult to know that yours truly has been on a job search for months.
Hunting for a job can be difficult, especially when the search drags on for weeks, months or even years.
Here are five tips that will help you remain positive as you look for the position that will be just the right fit.
1. Be On A Schedule
Just because the 9-to-5 lifestyle isn’t currently your thing, doesn’t mean you can’t live like it is. Set your alarm for a reasonable wake-up hour each morning, take a good bath and dress up in something a bit more formal but comfy (jeans? Ankara? Anything) to trick your brain into thinking that it’s time to get down to business.
This is me in my little cozy room tricking my brain.
Keep calm.
UPDATE: So I eventually got a Job before the end of the year. Read here.
2. Find Your Mission Statement
I have to admit that one of the reasons why I have not got a job is because I created a personal mission statement that has given my job search focus and specificity.
Using prompts from several career strategy books, I have developed a statement that articulates the driving force of my life so well. The statement explains how a job can balance meaningfully with my purpose.
My personal statement is helping me stay true to what I want to become.
Read More: 5 Employability Skills Bloggers Possess
3. Say The Affirmative
I used to be proud to say "I am broke", but I have learned to focus on speaking positive about every situation.
People who are jobless tend to walk around thinking of themselves as defeated, a failure, unworthy and unlovable. They see themselves that way because something they had hoped for just did not work out the way they had planned, or because they feel less than others around them, or because they have been rejected by top executives many times over.
The problem is once you see yourself as a failure, you will speak of yourself that way and what that does is condemns you to a life of negativity.
You have to stop the destructive self-talk. Focus on what’s going well, not just what’s not happening yet.
Read More: You Should Speak Positively
4. Keep Learning
All these things you see me do - blogging, sewing, designing Ankara accessories, voicing, hosting events etc, are the product and means of personal growth.
You have to acquire new skills and develop the ones you have. You can't just be looking for a job and not develop yourself. When you eventually get the job, what would you have to offer?
Read More: 4 Things I'm Loving Lately
5. Practise Gratitude
Gratitude is a muscle that gets stronger with regular use. It helps you stay in shape for your career as well as keep your soul together. Make a gratitude list with at least three things on it every day. It works. (I made a list of what makes me smile here. Feel free to add yours.)
Read More: Quotes That Inspire Gratitude
Most times, the things we think that we can humanly achieve just because we have the right qualifications and resources in place are not always good fits for us. But God . . . He has a way of showing us that ONLY He can give us the things we don’t always qualify for or we don’t deserve.
All we have to do is believe and have absolute faith and trust in Him. He is working it out.
Keep calm.
Stay inspired.
Wishing you the best of the week.
UPDATE: So I eventually got a Job before the end of the year. Read here.
Written by Nwamaka Ajaegbu
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Heart Rays . . . giving out the light.
