If you are tired of the job search process and you’re throwing in the towel and you cannot even make yourself do one more resume, put in one more application or look at the job post website, then you need to watch this video and read this blog.
It’s OK to Not Feel Motivated
The first thing that you need to do is you need to remind yourself that it’s okay to not feel motivated. It’s okay to not have it all put together and feel ready to take on the job search process. That’s self-compassion. So you have to practice self-compassion. The second thing is to take your tasks and break them into the smallest chunks that you can.
If one task is to turn on your computer and the next task is to open your word processing software, maybe that’s what you do that day. And you just leave that open overnight. And then the next day, your task is to open up your last resume. And maybe that’s what you do. And then maybe your next task is to find one career that even sort of closely matches what you’re looking for and you put it all together step by step and then maybe the next day you say, I’m gonna work on one section of my resume.
What we’re doing is we’re building your self-efficacy to increase your motivation and your momentum. So basically, we’re saying, I can do this, I’m just gonna do it in baby steps. Eventually, you’re gonna get to a point where you’re applying for two or three jobs. If you have days that you don’t feel like it, I encourage you just to make one baby step. One baby step at a time. This is going to help you create momentum and move forward.
The Job Search Process is Inhumane
When you look at the job search process, it is incredibly inhumane. You can send out 50 resumes and not get a single call back. You might not even get a single rejection email or a single rejection letter. It sucks, it kills your motivation. We all want feedback. At least if we heard back from them, we’d be like, okay, keep looking.
Yes, it sucks to hear it but keep looking, just keep looking. But when you get nothing, it’s kind of like cleaning your house and not being able to see it get cleaner. It feels fruitless. It’s like going on a diet and not losing any weight. It’s fruitless, it’s so discouraging.
The job search process can feel very much the same way. I encourage you to recognize that this is part of the process. And instead of seeking validation in the form of getting interviews, seek validation in the form of the steps that you’re taking. And then what I would do is I would focus on tweaking.
So if you’re not getting any callbacks, it’s your resume that needs to change. If you’re having callbacks and you’re getting pre-calls, pre-screen calls, but you’re not getting full interviews, it’s your prescreen call game that needs to change.
If you’re getting interviews but you’re not landing the job, then it’s your interview game that needs to change. We gotta sell yourself better. If you have questions about this, you wanna reach out to me. Christopher Lawrence with changemylifecoaching.ca. Fill out that contact form, I wanna help you.
Added since the initial recording a personal message from Christopher
Folks, do not give up! Reach out for help, ask folks you know, and do not give up. This is going to get better, it’s all going to take a little bit of time, but do not give up!!!
