Staying Positif( job search)

It is easier said than done, but maintaining a positive attitude is extremely important both for your own sense of well being and for the success of your job search. There are 4 things that will make a difference:

• Having realistic expectations about how long the search will take
• Being willing to learn from your experiences
• Maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle
• Getting the help and support from someone else when you need it.

How you feel about yourself and the world around you makes a difference to the success of your search for work.

Here's some information that may help you to keep positive.

Coping with the Knock backs and Rejection

"Don't call us, we'll call you".
"Sorry, mate, there's no work here".
"You don't have enough experience".
"We need someone older" / "We need someone a bit younger".
"No, Madam, we've got too many staff as it is".

...so how do you cope when you get one knock back after another?

The job market is highly competitive. There will always be people missing out when someone else is successful...but after you've been turned down lots of times, it's easy to lose hope and to start to believe you are no good. Its too easy to be negative, but this will only drag you down more. There are ways to stay positive:

Don't try and do it alone. Make sure you have the support and help of a family member, friend or other person.

It helps to have someone checking your resumes and job applications, checking your spelling, setting out, how you've said things, and the presentation.

Use your networks! Don't forget the people at your local Employment Directions Network Career Centre or other employment service agencies who are there to help you.

Keep your self-talk positive. What messages do you tell yourself about yourself? If you keep thinking you that you are useless then you will eventually believe it - when it's just not true!

You will need to make sure that you are positive despite the negative experiences. Learn from your mistakes, develop your job search skills, and set yourself realistic short term objectives and longer term goals.

Keep a positive lifestyle. If you are feeling healthy and alive, you will seem more positive to other people and you will become more positive about yourself.

You need to keep a balance as well. Give yourself time to relax and engage positively with other people. Know what helps you to "unwind" and give yourself permission to do just that every now and then.

It's all a matter of perspective... Next time you miss out on a job, it could just be that the employer made the mistake of not employing the best person for the job. They didn't recognise your talent and potential...and it was their loss. So look at what you can do to ensure the next employer doesn't make the same mistake!.

Possible Reasons for Missing Out on a Job

Employers consider a range of issues when selecting new staff. Some of the most common ways they would be assessing your suitability for the position would include:

1. Your personal presentation. Were you appropriately dressed for the employer? Did you speak clearly? Was your body language confident and positive?
2. The skills and ability that have to do the job. Do you have the actual skill requirements and other abilities that the employer is looking for?
3. Your personality and ability to get on with other people. Did you come across to the interviewer as a likeable person who would be a good addition to the workplace relationships?
4. Willingness and enthusiasm for the job. Did you sound like a keen worker who was prepared to learn new things in the workplace?
5. Your attitude and the level of interest that you show during the interview. Did you sound positive and interested by your answers and your questions?
6. Unsuitable or insufficient qualifications. Could it be that there are some essential qualifications that the employer required that you currently just don't have?
7. Stable work habits. If the employer is seeking someone who will stick around for a few years, does your work history show that you are likely to do that?
8. Levels of experience. You may have the qualifications or some experience, but the employer may require more previous experience than you have got to offer.
9. Ability to communicate clearly. Did you show from the interview that you can speak clearly, that you can listen to others and conduct a conversation with others?
10. Ability to fit in with existing staff. In a smaller workplace, there may be an existing team of people there. How would the employer see you fitting in with that group of people?
11. Flexibility. Did you sound like the kind of person who is adaptable, open to new things, who can move with change - or are you stuck in the mud?
12. Living too far away from place of employment. This is often a problem for those in the country, especially young people. Does the employer think that you will be able to get to work on time? Does the employer believe there will be potential transport problems that may arise for you?
13. Maturity. Does the employer need a person of a certain level of maturity for the position? Do you come across as having the level of maturity in attitude and life experience that the employer is seeking?
14. Potential. This works two ways: Do you have the potential to develop into an asset for the employer, or do you have too much potential so that you are likely to move on after the employer has trained you up to the position?
15. Brashness during interview - too talkative or keen. Did you come across as loud and overconfident? Did you seem to be a bit of a "know-all"?
16. Confidence; ability to express himself/herself. Did you seem to be confident and articulate? Were you able to communicate your thoughts and ideas?
17. Reliability. In the employer's mind, do you seem to be a reliable kind of person? Do you give the impression of being dependable, honest, and someone to be trusted?
18. Self motivation. By the way you have conducted yourself during your job search and interview, do you seem like a highly motivated person?
19. Tidy handwriting. This may not be an issue for many jobs, but it would be for some! Will customers and others in the workplace be able to read your writing? This might be important to the employer.
20. References and Referees. Do your written references sing your praises? Did your telephone referees say the right kinds of glowing positive stuff about you? Or did that past employer say what they really thought about you and the way you work?
21. Over emphasis on money; interest in only the best dollar offer, not the best job. Did you appear to the employer that you were only there for the money? The employer needs you to make money for them, remember.
22. Sincerity. Did you come across to the employer as a sincere person? Did you seem like you really wanted the job? Or do you sound like you are only there to fulfil Centrelink's requirements?
23. Promptness. Were you late for the interview? If you were, the employer might be worried that you will always be late for work. That would be a concern for them.
24. Bad luck! There is an element of luck in searching for work. You have to be in the right place at the right time...and maybe someone else beat you to it! Maybe things just didn't work out well for you, the car broke down, or it was just a bad day!
25. Someone else got the job! Maybe there was someone else you were competing against who was better qualified, more experienced or who the interviewer thought was better suited to the position than you were. Maybe next time you'll beat someone else...

Remember, it's all in the mind of the employer. You have to convince the employer that you are the best person for the job. Not only that, but you have to convince the employer that you will be an asset to their business or organisation.

After you have been for an interview, study the above list carefully and think about how you might have performed in the mind of the employer.

If your application and interview were unsuccessful, you may wish to telephone the interviewer and ask if he/she would be prepared to discuss your interview performance.

This information may be helpful to prepare yourself for future interviews.

Other ways to help you find work

There are plenty of things you can do to help you find work or get better prepared to work. Here are a few suggestions:

• Become a volunteer. There are many organisations seeking assistance from volunteers. Being a volunteer expands your networks, gives you valuable experiences and helps you to gain new skills.
• Attend some courses. Any opportunity to build your social skills and communication skills, or develop your technical skills will be beneficial to you. These courses can be anything from formal certified TAFE courses,to informal personal development courses run in your local community centre. Find out what courses are offered by your local Employment Directions Network Career Centre or employment/recruitment agency.
• If you are considering self employment, talk to your nearest Business Enterprise Centre, the Small Business Development Corporation, and anyone else you know who is successfully self employed. If you want to do contract work, you will need to organise your own insurance. Once you have got that in place, whole new possibilities arise for you to market your skills and abilities other than having to be employed in the traditional sense.
• Surf the Internet looking for resources. There are mind-boggling amounts of information that can be helpful to you, from all over the world. Everything from building resumes to course information, to information about jobs to self-employment - you name it, it's all there.
• Do some work experience. This helps you get into the pattern of getting to work and operating in the work culture, particularly if you have been out of work for some time, or have not had a job before. It gives you a chance to try out that job, as well as getting to know what is involved "behind the scenes". You are also getting to know the employer and work mates, while at the same time they are getting to know you. You are gaining valuable experience that will add to your skills base and will look good on your resume!
• Get a job! Seriously, it's always easier to get a job when you've already got one. Many employers would rather take on a person who is already working than a person who hasn't worked for some time. Look at one job as being a stepping stone to another. Set your sights on the work that you really want, and if you don't have any success yet, do something else while you keep an eye out for the one you're really after.