Riding the Job Search Emotional Roller Coaster
One of my clients just texted me to say that she didn’t get an interview for a job she wanted. Fortunately we’d had a conversation before she’d applied that it was a long shot (out of her career sweet spot or zone), so she’d tapered her expectations going in, and appeared to bounce back and keep focussing on moving forward.
This isn’t always the case and over my years of coaching I’ve seen people take their foot off the pedal as they feel they are progressing with a role, only to miss out on the position and then have to pick themselves up emotionally, and start all over again.
Having been in business development roles for over 30 years, I’ve experienced the highs and lows. One way I used to think of it was that it was like playing a game of Battleships: you take action, sometimes you miss and sometimes you get a hit. Adopting that mindset helped me to get back up and keep going.
So here are my tips to help you flatten the emotional roller coaster of job searching:
- Pick your lane and stick with it. In other words, apply for roles that are in your sweet spot.
- When you apply for roles outside of your sweet spot, taper your expectations.
- When you get disappointing news, reframe your mindset – Trust that whatever’s meant for you, won’t miss you.
- Keep the momentum going with your applications, even if you’ve progressed to second interview with a role.
- Talk with other job seekers so that you realise that you’re not alone – it doesn’t just happen to you.
- Focus on what’s within your control (keep applying for jobs, talking with people), rather than what’s not (the outcome).
- Look after your wellbeing during the ride – what’s your “feel good” place to go to, get outdoors, pat a dog, do something that cheers you up.
- Keep chipping away and take some action each day, and don’t drop the ball. Momentum builds and the law of cause and effect says that something will come back to you.
If you want to discover your career sweet spot, you can here.
(Remember to get your copy of Careers Awakening: How To Align Your Career With Your Soul Purpose here.)
