Anoop Verma
Whether you are unemployed, underemployed or freshly out of college, it is tough to stay motivated while you are searching for a new job. It can be a really tedious exercise to look for a new job in an uncertain economic climate; you have to browse through online employment portals, speak to your acquaintances about possible leads, and run around different offices. You don’t know how long the job search will last and this only adds to the feeling of suspense and frustration.
However, you can’t afford to give up. You have to do all you can to get a new job quickly, as you need to earn enough to pay all your bills. The longer your job search lasts, the tougher it becomes. No one can blame you if you start feeling mentally drained and physically exhausted. The challenges of finding a new job can make anyone feel depressed. You may want your job search to be as speedy as a sprint, but in most cases it is a marathon. An average job search can take up to a year.
It is important that you keep away from the air of negativity, because staying motivated can lead to a faster hire. Here are a few tips that you can use to keep your chin up and your prospects high:
Use your network
When you are looking for a new job, it is usually the perfect time to browse through all the business cards that you have been collecting for all this time. You may not go into the specifics of why you are unemployed or underemployed; after all, not many people will be interested in knowing the exact status of your professional life. But if asked, you can tell them that you had some creative differences with your last employer and so you thought it would be better to leave.
Become the Managing Director of your life
You should not look at the period when you are looking for a new job as being unemployed or underemployed. Instead you should try to think of job search as your work. Perhaps you can think of yourself as the Managing Director of your own life. A day spent looking for a new job will not earn you a salary, but it can lead to growth and better prospects at a later stage of your life. It is quite normal for most people to be looking for a new job at least a few times in their life. You should make the most of this period.
Be happy
You can view your job search as an avenue for starting something new and fresh, as opposed to losing something old and familiar. It is important to have full information about the new job that you wish to do join, but at the same time it is also important that you be in a relaxed frame of mind. You should not stop doing things that make you feel happy. So play a game of cricket, go on a vacation, and read the books and magazines that you like. You should socialise with friends who are working somewhere, as this will remind you that good jobs do exist. You can also invigorate yourself with hobbies and sports. You should avoid folks who are negativist by nature.
Limit your exposure to news
When you are looking for a new job, you don’t want to loose your enthusiasm by hearing how bad the economic situation and the job situation is, or how corrupt and disconnected the government of the day is. In fact, it is better to limit your exposure to news, till the time that you get a new job. For your reading and viewing, you should choose books, blogs, magazines, movies, and TV that uplift you and make you feel the world is a wonderful place.
Find a part-time job
In case, you are finding it difficult to get a full-time job, you should explore some part-time opportunities. A part-time job will enable you to meet your short-term financial obligations; however, you should not allow your part-time assignment to take you away from your primary goal of finding a good full-time job. You should remember the law of averages; the more calls you make, the better chances you will have of landing up with a new job.
Live in a right environment
Being unemployed does not mean that you should forget your sense of discipline. You have to eat right, and exercise daily. There is a lot to be said for being neat, tidy and organised. A healthy body generally leads to a healthy mind. Make a to-do list so that you are able to take care of all the tasks that you set for yourself on any given day. It is always possible for you to get a morale boost from your friends and family. Your close-ones are your best allies, at some point of time; they might also have undergone a similar experience.
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