The main reason that people are not finding a job is not because there are no jobs. It is because of their attitude. The majority of job-seekers have not put themselves in the right frame of mind to do the work needed that will lead them to a becoming employed.
It takes work to become employed; you have to treat the job search like a job, as they say. Recent studies show that the average time currently being spent in job-search is 40 minutes a day. Yes, only forty minutes! Most people are spending more time watching TV or playing a video game than they are doing activities that will lead them to work.
This can be the result of their attitude and the “there are no jobs out there” thinking. People stop themselves and use limiting and forecasting beliefs that there are no jobs available or that they won’t get hired. They listen to the news – TV and print-which sell depressing information about the economy. They believe that this is true and stop any job-search activities. This all-or-nothing thinking creates a defeatist attitude which then leads to feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. A search on JobsMalaysia.gov.my lists over 190,000 job openings. These do not cover jobs that are unadvertised or on company websites. Researching this information is imperative for job seekers to help them understand what is out there; this will then help them to define the type of position they want and to plan out the steps needed to go after them. Having a good resume that profiles your Unique Selling Proposition (USP), or the great skills that are inherent in you, is a must as well as being prepared for the interview. Bottom line – you have to be ready to showcase you. And this is where most people slow down or stop job search activities. They become almost paralyzed with dread and fear of not being “good enough”. Whatever the reason, their attitude prevents them from job hunting. It does get harder day-after-day, especially if you have been unemployed for long period of time. Changing one’s attitude is difficult, at best. There are brain-based reason why this occurs. But changing your attitude is part of the work you need to do as part of your job search; in fact, this should be the first step you take. It will set the course for how you proceed and for how you continue until you reach that job. Here are some quick ways to take an “attitude check” and think more positive. Your career depends on it:
1. Take your pulse. This is where you take some time to review and reflect on your thoughts and feelings, which includes how you feel about finding a job, your fears and blockages that may be holding you back and what you want for your future.
2. Review your post. How have you handled challenges in the past: have you sat back and waited for the situation to pass or have you pushed forward? Again, what were the roadblocks and how you move past them?
3.Set the intention. Take time to decide what you want and how you will use your strengths to achieve them. Write them down, make them visible and say them frequently so they become part of your daily language.
4. Make a plan. Write down, on a calendar or white board, the various ways of how you will plan your days to look for a job. Remember, there are many other ways than just sitting at a computer on a job board. Be sure to include “me time” or activities you can do to keep your physical and emotional level up.
5. Visualize your future. Paint the picture of that job you want; put your job log in a place where you will see it; write down on index cards or post-it notes motivational phrases to get you motivated.
Doing these activities will help you to retrain your brain from negative to positive and give you the edge to continue your job hunt. They also can become good habits to take into the future to make you a great employee!
