Staying Positive During a Job Search

Staying Positive During a Job SearchStaying Positive During a Job SearchStaying Positive During a Job Search By Michael Schaub, Ph.D., PLLCSearching for a job can bring up a mix of emotions that may be difficult to manage. Lets say you find yourself involved in a long, drawn-out job search that seems to have no end in sight. Maybe you are looking for a better job in the saatkorn field, or a new job in a completely different industry. The job search can be a tiring process that shakes your confidence and puts you in a bedrngnis-so-great mood. So how do you keep your eye on the prize and maintain a positive outlook through all of this? Read on for five tips based on a therapeutic technique called motivational interviewing that may help improve your mood as you pursue the next step in your career.1. List your motivations for making a changeAre you burned out after years in the same position? Do you want to spend more time with your family? Perhaps you feel unfulfilled and want a job th at brings meaning to your life. Take a few minutes to brainstorm your reasons for making a career change and write ansicht on a note card. Approach this task from a positive perspective- instead of saying I hate my boss, try I want a boss who shares my passions. Place the note card where you will see it each day and make reviewing these reasons a regular part of your routine.2. Do things that bring you happinessSometimes when we feel down and discouraged we forget to do the things that bring us joy. Think about the times in your life when you felt happy and fulfilled. Did you exercise? Read books for fun? Volunteer? Spend time with friends? Make a plan to do at least one of these activities each week during your job search.3. Take control of obstaclesOften, we feel frozen by real or imagined barriers that keep us from reaching our goals. Some of these barriers are conscious to our awareness, and others linger in the back of our minds but have an impact nonetheless. One way to tackle these obstacles is to name them, resolve the issues we have control over, and dismiss those that are beyond our control. Are you overwhelmed by the prospect of networking with people you do not know? Do you believe that your skill set is obsolete? Do you feel lost about how to begin a search? Write these down and rate the probability that each is true. It may be helpful to ask a family member or friend to reality-test your ratings. Brainstorm ways to minimize the obstacles that you have control over. This may mean networking first with people you know, taking a class at a community college to refresh skills, or meeting with a career counselor to learn about the job search process. Finally, give yourself permission to let go of the obstacles that are beyond your control.4. Seek out othersConducting a job search can seem like a lonely endeavor. When you are frustrated by the search process, it is easy to get holed up in your house endlessly scanning websites for leads. For some, this leads to feelings of desolation and isolation. Now is the time to seek out family and friends who can provide support. Think about people with whom you can share your successes and frustrations, and check-in with them often. It is also helpful to change up your job search environment by visiting a library or coffee shop while you search for jobs, work on your resume, etc. Seeking out others not only brightens your mood, but it may lead to new connections and opportunities.5. Benchmark your successesSet SMART goals for your job search Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. For example, one goal may be over the next week I will connect with two professionals in my target career field to learn about their companies. As you reach your SMART goals, create a list of accomplishments to spotlight how far along you have come. Take time to appreciate each success. Recognizing and appreciating your accomplishments are key components to staying positive and improving your mood.Mike Schaubs BioDr. Mike Schaub is a licensed psychologist in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland and maintains a private practice in Fairfax, VA. Mike is recognized by the National Register of Health Service Psychologists and is a certified federal job search trainer and federal career coach. For over 20 years he has conducted career and mental health counseling with adolescents and adults in private practice and university settings. Mike served as executive director of the Georgetown University Career Center where he managed a comprehensive career development program for undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni. Mikes private practice focuses on the integration of mental health and career counseling, vocational assessment, couples and premarital counseling, and mens health and wellness. His work has been published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology, Journal of Counseling Development, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Psychology of Men and Masculi nity, and the Journal of College Student Psychotherapy. He wrote a chapter on the discernment of work values for the book The Role of Values in Careers. Mike serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Career Development and is an ad hoc reviewer for the Journal of Counseling Psychology. mora information about Mike and his practice can be found at drmikeschaub.com.Want Professional Writing Help with your Federal Resume?GET A FEDERAL RESUME QUOTESend your current, up-to-date resume, and a sample job announcement for a free quote.

3 ways our new feature Ask for Feedback will help you land your dream job

3 ways our new feature Ask for Feedback will help you land your dream job3 ways our new feature Ask for Feedback will help you land your dream jobAs Elon Musk once said Its very important to have a feedback loop, where youre constantly thinking about what youve done and how you could be doing it better.Do you remember the brde time you asked someone for feedback on your resume? What was the process like? Printing and meeting the person face-to-face. Or attaching it to the email. After receiving a separate sheet with the feedback, it was hard to track all the suggestions. The process of clicking back and forth from one reiter to another beganIn any case, it probably was a proper pain in the buttock Our newest feature Ask for Feedback will help you make this process simple and effective. (See instructions at the bottom).No need to download, print or attach anymoreAsk for Feedback allows you to share your resume with just a few clicks. The receiver can leave the feedback directly on you r resume. The process is as simple as placing sticky notes around. When you receive the feedback, the stickies are easy to manage and reflect on. You also dont have to worry about losing your feedback in the threads of emails or chat discussions. Your resume and the feedback are in one place nowAnd how can Ask for Feedback help you land your dream job?1. Avoid embarrassing typosAccording to Houstons premier recruiting and staffing firm Murray Resources, spelling, punctuation errors and typos are the most common mistakes in resumes. They convey to potential employers that an applicant lacks attention to detail. By exposing your resume to your fellow learners, tutors or those who have worked with you, you can prevent such situations from happening. After spending a lot of time on creating your resume, its difficult to spot even simple mistakes. Thats where a fresh pair of eyes will come in handy.2. Improve the contentAsking someone to throw an eye on your resume will allow you to impr ove the actual content, as well. Friends and professional connections can give us a new perspective on ourselves. They often bring the Oh, I havent thought of that moment. Their feedback will help you create the best version of your resume.3. Increase your self-confidenceHow did you feel the last time when your boss/teacher/friend told you Well done? I bet you felt great about yourself, ready to take on the next challenge Receiving the feedback, a positive one especially, will have the same outcome. We often forget what we are excellent at and need others to remind us. Through feedback, you will earn the confidence and courage you need when applying for a new job. Feeling confident about your resume will have a positive impact on your interview, too. Confident candidates reveal their full potential more easily.Go ahead, try our newest feature Ask for Feedback today and remember whether positive or negative, feedback is always goodInstructions How to use Ask for FeedbackStep 1 Click on the Ask for Feedback button next to your resume on the dashboard. Or click on Feedback in the left-hand-side menu. Then click on Ask now.Step 2 Enable the feedback link by clicking the gray button.Step 3 Choose the platform youd like to send your resume through Facebook Messenger, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. If youd like to send it via email, copy the link and paste it in the email.Step 4 Once you receive your feedback and apply the changes, click on resolve to make the note disappear.

10 Articles to Read About Emotional Intelligence - The Muse

10 Articles to Read About Emotional Intelligence - The Muse10 Articles to Read About Emotional IntelligenceIn a data-driven world, it can be easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Beyond performance scores, client numbers, and profits, the fact is every workplace runs on people power.But tapping into the potential of your working relationships requires one key ingredient emotional intelligence. Otherwise known as EQ, this brand of intelligence exists in everyone, to varying degrees. You can probably name someone in your office who has a high EQ- and someone who doesnt.So, how do you measure up? What can you do to improve? And why should you care? All your questions will be answered in this round-up of The Muses best advice on the topic.1. This Flowchart Will Help You Figure Out Just How Emotionally Intelligent You AreThe first step is always the toughest, but knowing your starting point will make it much easier.2. 4 Reasons Youre Not Getting Ahead at Work That Have Nothing to Do W ith Your SkillsStruggling to pinpoint your problem areas? If you see yourself reflected in this list, youll soon know where you need to improve.3. Why Being Smart Isnt Enough at WorkIf youre still not sold on the importance of EQ, this infographic will walk you through exactly why it is.4. 11 Cheap Online Classes You Can Take to Improve Your Interpersonal SkillsThe only way to make progress is to act. Heres a guide to some of the best (and quickest) ways to develop these skills.5. Every Question Youve Ever Had About Soft Skills (But Didnt Want to Ask)Soft skills appear everywhere, from resumes to performance reviews, but what exactly are they? All your questions will be answered in this handy rundown.6. 4 Habits You Should Pick Up if You Want to Be Well-Liked at WorkThese everyday actions are the baby steps thatll lead you toward higher EQ, better working relationships, and, ultimately, achieving your career goals.7. 14 Free Personality Tests Thatll Help You Figure Yourself OutThere are many different aspects to personality- and to self-awareness. Take the quiz featured here to see how well you fare. 8. How to Handle the Co-worker Who Just Doesnt Get ItSometimes your own EQ isnt the issue, but someone elses is. Learn how to use your own skills to bridge the divide.9. 9 Bad Habits Stopping You From Being Truly HappyEmotional intelligence isnt just about development in the workplace. In fact, it allows you to identify habits or environments that are holding you back in your personal as well as professional life.10. The Underrated Skills That Will Make You a Better Employee (and Human Being)Being proactive about your own happiness and mental health is key for sustainable, long-term productivity. Pick up these techniques to better yourself, and become a better worker in the process.