GUEST POST: 5 Ways to Energize Your Job Search

What would it be worth to kick start your job search by increasing your job opportunities and decreasing the time spent on your search? What if you didn’t need to pay anything to get these results?

We all have a resource that we can tap into:  our own personal energy. Unfortunately, the stress of job search or unemployment can reduce our energy levels.

Our behaviors—all the efforts that we expend to find a job—are fueled by feelings which are fueled by thoughts (sometimes thought patterns that we are not even aware of). Our pattern of thinking determines our energy levels.

For those who like a visual:

Our thoughts >>>  drive  >>>  Our feelings  >>>  which drive  >>>  Our behaviors

So, what are your recurring thoughts about your job search? An astounding 85% of our collective energy is “spent” in stress-filled (catabolic) thoughts where we are either victim to the situation or angry at others about it. These stressful thoughts deplete our energy for the search and cause us to not “show up” the way we want to with networking contacts or prospective employers.

It does not need to be this way! With a willingness to embrace new ways of thinking, job seekers can stop the energy leaks they experience when lack of responses to job inquiries, rejections, or not being selected for the next level of interviews occur. By choosing only thoughts that serve us in our job search and discarding those that don’t, our positive and action-oriented (anabolic) energy can rise dramatically.

Here are five ways to begin the shift from catabolic (stress-filled and de-energizing) energy into anabolic (positive and action-oriented) energy:

1. Pay attention to what you are thinking. Ask yourself if what you are telling yourself about your search is really true. Become more aware of the subtle messages about “failure” or “disappointment” that we tell ourselves. Our self-talk is the most powerful tool we have to raise energy.
2. Avoid “energy-zappers.” Many catabolic job seekers want you to join their pity party or anger-fest by broadcasting their stress and inviting you to join in. A simple and powerful approach is not to join when invited. Instead, team up with those who are taking action, believing in their success and wanting to help each other in affirming ways.
3. Don’t go it alone. A job search or outplacement coach can help you determine which thoughts are serving you and which are keeping you from getting that next great job. Sometimes we aren’t aware of those messages we tell ourselves that can sabotage our success.
4. Presume the best outcome. While this may sound like Pollyanna, it keeps you “on your game” with the process. In fact, it actually takes more energy to presume the worst. When we do that, our minds spin on all of the reasons “why not,” and it impacts any other opportunities we are pursuing, depleting energy we need to get a successful outcome
5. Take action. We raise our energy when we are moving and doing. It could simply be the act of networking and making a new contact. It could be getting candid, helpful feedback from a work colleague on what we do well and what we need to work on.

By following these steps, the shift in your energy will be noticed by all those you meet. If the axiom of “like energy attracts” is true, and I believe it to be, why not attract more and greater opportunities?  We want every advantage we can get in the highly competitive world of job search.

Have you had job-search success as a result of positive thinking? Please share it here!

Evan Roth is a Certified Executive Coach, Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and Chief Learning Officer at Nelnet, Inc. He enjoys helping people thrive in the corporate world. You can find him at CoachEvanRoth.com.