Keeping the momentum with your job search part 1

It can be challenging to keep your motivation up day after day when looking for a new job or when changing career. Persistence is important, being creative and trying new approaches. This article is part 1 of 2 sharing some tips to keep up the momentum so you successfully achieve your goal. We have grouped the tips under headings.

Managing fears and feelings

• Keep a diary of your thoughts, feelings, achievements, frustrations, and learnings
• Write down the worst thing that could possibly happen, the likelihood of it occurring and ways you would successfully address it
• Write all your frustrations about your situation on a piece of paper and then burn it
• Jot down the negative things you say to yourself and give them characters. Give them a name and picture what they look like, so they make you laugh and think more positively when they appear
• Channel any frustration positively; dig the garden, punch a punch bag, write a poem etc

Goal and vision

• Visualise your goal and imagine how you will feel when you have successfully achieved it
• Revisit your goal and write down all the blocks to achieving it. Brainstorm ideas with a friend how you can overcome the blocks
• Set yourself a non-work-related goal and achieve it e.g. create storage in your loft or shed so that you can easily find things and do not waste time
• Write down 10 positive things about your skills, qualities and experience that make you marketable
• Write in the present tense the vision for what you will be doing in future; what you will be feeling, hearing, and seeing
• Create an image board of the job/work you desire and choose words and images that you like
• Write a list of your achievements
• Imagine your life 2 years into the future. Bring your attention back to the present – imagine what changes you need to make now to create what you want. Write down the actions you need to take and take them.

Keeping positive

• Stay positive most of each day and allow yourself to have a 15 minute ‘worry and anxiety break’ each day
• Celebrate your achievements, however small every day
• Write down daily 3 things you have to be grateful for including things you may take for granted e.g. the ability to breathe easily and walk
• Write a list of all the positive aspects of your situation, e.g. time to think, not being stuck in rush hour etc
• Write a list of all the things that do not cost money, do not hurt anyone and which give you pleasure and do at least one every day
• Write down all the positive learnings from your current situation and the benefits of these and how they will be useful in future e.g. more resilient, persistence etc.
• Remember that persistence is the no 1 factor for success. If what you are doing is not working, try something else
• Recall a positive experience from the past every day that makes you feel good
• Think of a time when you successfully overcame a challenge. Reflect on what you did and what enabled the positive result and how you can replicate this in future
• Create a file containing positive e mails, cards and keep adding to it. Look at it when you need a boost
• Recall a time in the past when things did not go as you originally planned or envisaged but how in hindsight, it all worked out for the best and better than your original vision
• Create a structure for each day and week and incorporate activities you enjoy in it
• Create a list of the things that if you do them each day, make you feel resourceful and positive e.g. go for a walk, phone a friend etc. Create a checklist and make sure that you do them each day.

Making the most of time

• Write down all the things you have not got around to doing in the house and garden and do them one at a time
• Do the jobs around the house that niggle you or your partner/housemates complain about?
• Call/visit a friend, neighbour, or family member you have not seen for a while
• Review your computer filing system – re-do the folders and sub folders so it is easy to find things and have a clearout of old files
• Have a clear out of your paper files and improve your filing system
• Sort through your photographs and clearly label them with names, places, and dates
• Do something new every day e.g. explore a road in your area where you have never been down or cook a new recipe
• Clear out the loft

Upskilling

• Update your skills and knowledge – read books, trade magazines, surf the net
• Get a mentor
• Think of something you would like to improve and identify someone who is skilled at what you want to be good at. Spend time with them and find out what it is they do

Creative approaches

• Brainstorm new approaches and try at least one new one each week
• Think of someone you admire. Imagine how they might tackle the challenges you are facing
• Create a job description for your ideal job
• Offer to do a project for a friend’s business to get some experience and get a reference
• Create a memorable short phrase that summarises what you do

Energise free event 12-1pm on Tuesday 14 July 2020 – book your place now.

How to future-proof your career and take control of your career
12-1pm Tuesday 14 July 2020
Venue: On-line on Zoom.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-future-proof-your-career-and-take-control-of-your-career-tickets-112334852568