Jobs @ Career Consulting Limited

Return to career-consulting-limited.com
Managing
People
Managing Your Career
CV Examples
Coaching
Cover Letter Examples
Pre-Employment Tests


Job Hunting Tips: Taking Care of Yourself


Looking for work is generally a miserable undertaking. No matter how much education and experience you have, you are in a powerless and vulnerable position.

You spend days preparing for an interview, trying to build up your self-confidence, create a relaxed, competent demeanor to disguise the turmoil and anxiety inside, and practice answers to questions you hope the interviewer will ask.

Is there any way to feel really calm as you approach the receptionist, uncomfortably aware that there are other people waiting, perhaps applicants for the same position? Sit down, take a deep breath, and listen to your inner voice.

Welcome the anxiety that is coursing through your veins. It is a free, non-addictive stimulant that is going to keep you on your toes and keep you hyper-alert throughout the interview. Remind yourself that without that anxiety, you would present yourself as lifeless and flat.

Remember the lists you have made: of your personal qualities, your strengths, the weaknesses you have identified which can really be presented as additional strengths. Let your mind slowly scavenge through the mental picture of your resume and pound those bullet-pointed skills into your skull.

Focus on your worth as a human being, your importance to those who know you and love you. You are about to be judged by someone who doesn't know you at all and who will have less than 60 minutes to assess your qualities. Self-preservation requires that you don't buy into that judgment. You may, or you may not, be offered be offered the position. Whatever the result, remind yourself that it is not the entire you being accepted or rejected, just your skills and qualities matched against a company's needs. The job interview is a dynamic process with everyone present involved in the flow. If you feel awkward or very uneasy, it may be that the company or the interviewer(s) are not a good fit for you and not being offered the job may, in the long run, be a blessing in disguise.

By all means, review your interview performance afterwards while it is still fresh in your mind. If you think of better ways you could have answered some questions, write the new answers down so you can review before your next interview. As soon as possible, send a "Thank you" note, restating the personal strengths you want to emphasize. If possible, e-mail or fax that day.

The next two steps are critical to maintaining your enthusiasm and job hunting energy:

a) Relax and let out the stress. Don't cross-examine every question asked and every answer given or your confidence will erode further in an avalanch of second-guessing and self-criticism. You have enough stress on your plate right now just worrying about whether or not you'll receive an offer.

b) Be kind to yourself. If you can afford it, take the family out to dinner to celebrate your having obtained an interview and having survived one of the most pressured experiences you will ever undergo. If finances don't allow that, at least talk to your family about the details, let them show you a little support, and give yourself a whole day off from the job search to relax, relax, relax.

Virginia Bola operated a rehabilitation company for 20years, developing innovative job search techniques fordisabled workers, while serving as a respected VocationalExpert in Administrative, Civil and Workers' CompensationCourts. Author of an interactive and emotionally supportiveworkbook, The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment SurvivalManual, and a monthly ezine, The Worker's Edge, she can bereached at http://www.virginiabola.com


MORE RESOURCES:
Careers  Schnucks




Careers  University of Northern Colorado

Compensation & Benefits  Lowe's Careers

Careers  US Forest Service (.gov)


Careers | Career Opportunities  West Virginia University

Careers  City of Phoenix (.gov)

So, Why’d You Leave That Job?  The New York Times



Careers  City of Ontario, California (.gov)


Employment at WKU  Western Kentucky University

Careers at J&J  Johnson & Johnson Careers


Technology  Lowe's Careers

Careers | Home  USDA (.gov)

Careers and Jobs at CRS  Catholic Relief Services

Careers  UC Santa Cruz


Careers - MDOT  Maryland.gov

Careers  Baxter

Careers  Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Working for ICE  ice.gov


Careers at USCIS  USCIS (.gov)


Employment Opportunities | Game Commission  Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov)

Careers  Johnson & Johnson

Store Hourly Job Areas  Target Corporation

Careers at TWU  Texas Woman's University

Work for Us (U.S. National Park Service)  National Park Service (.gov)

Work at Butler  Butler University



Explore Store Careers  Target Corporation

Work With Us  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (.gov)


Water Services Careers  City of Phoenix (.gov)


Careers at Willamette  Willamette University


Career Opportunities  Gilead Sciences

IOM career gateways  International Organization for Migration


Careers  BASF

Careers  Washington State University

Jobs at Liberty University  Liberty University




Careers and Employment  Willamette University


NASA Careers: Pathways  NASA (.gov)

Student internships at J&J  Johnson & Johnson Careers


Our Hiring Process  Target Corporation



Careers in Latin America  Johnson & Johnson Careers

Careers  The Ocean Cleanup


Careers  SES | Satellite

UF Health Careers  UF Health Careers



KPMG Careers  KPMG

Careers at CHC  Chestnut Hill College

Careers  West Virginia Department of Education

Careers at Union  Union College



Work for the City of St. Louis  City of St. Louis, MO (.gov)




Current opportunities  Turner & Townsend

Interview Guide and Tips  Target Corporation

Job Opportunities  Bellevue School District

Job Seekers  Illinois Human Resources






Explore BCG locations around the world  Boston Consulting Group

WORK AT LVMH  LVMH

Careers at Sinai Health  Sinai Health

Work with us  JPMorganChase

Internship Opportunities | Careers  Boston Consulting Group


Students and graduates  JPMorganChase


Employment Opportunities  Unity Health Toronto


Careers  City of Norfolk (.gov)


Need More Information?
Site Home | Site Map | Links | Contact Us | Privacy Policy
© Career Consulting Limited.com 2011

tumblr visit counter