Vulnerability Can Disrupt Your Job Search
It’s common to feel vulnerability during a job search. After all, it involves putting yourself out there and facing what we often perceive to be personal rejection. But being afraid of experiencing any rejection can keep you in your comfort zone, which can significantly reduce your work opportunities. This often happens in the form of only doing the minimum in a job search, such as applying to jobs that are posted online, which does not take much effort or interaction with others. Since this is a simple and passive method, there is a lot of competition involved, which limits your chances of getting your ideal job.
Turning Vulnerability into Confidence
The solution is to develop skills that will allow you to open up new and better avenues for receiving a job and to increase your confidence. Here are some ways that you can turn vulnerability into confidence to get the best results from your job search.
Focus on Your Strengths and What You Can Give
Keep in mind that a job search is business, not personal. Rather than worrying about how you are being perceived by a new contact or potential employer, focus on your strengths, your value to the position and what you can contribute. Being vulnerable or anxious often comes from a feeling of not being good enough, but remember that everyone has strengths and weaknesses and their own unique part to play in the workforce. So embrace where you are, including your imperfections, and be excited about where you are going!
Getting Closer to a “Yes”
It is often said in sales that selling is a “numbers game” and that every “no” gets you closer to a “yes”. These can be helpful concepts to think about when searching for a job because they can help us to see the process more objectively rather than emotionally. You can view every interaction with a connection or potential employer as a success because it gets you one step closer to a result that you want. Even if it does not directly help you to achieve a goal, it can help you to build your network and to improve your communication skills.
Be Aware of Your Mindset
Although you may not be very aware of it, your mindset and the quality of your thoughts can be a major factor in the work opportunities that open up to you. Therefore, it is important to always be aware of the type of attitude that you are projecting and to think positive thoughts about yourself, about others, and about interactions and opportunities. Catch yourself when you are starting to think negatively and get yourself back onto a positive momentum.
Create a List of Positive Aspects
To help you to think positively, you can create a list of positive affirmations, things that you are grateful for, and times when you did well and overcame obstacles. Going over these lists can help you to start your day off on a positive note and to get you back on track when negative thoughts start to creep into your mind. Also, look for positive aspects throughout your day. Something as simple as a message in a fortune cookie can brighten your day!
Remain Focused on Your Goals
Remember that in the larger scheme of things, your job search is a transition from one stage of your career to another and there will be many more transitions in your journey. Remain focused on the goals that you want to achieve in your life, both professional and personal. Write down your goals and visualize them each day. You can create a vision board to help you with this process.
Time is precious and you want to reach your goals sooner rather than later. Collaborating with a small group of job seekers while you are being coached by a professional career coach is a great option for building your confidence and the skills that you need to get the position of your dreams in record time!
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