Are you one of the thousands of job seekers who question their sanity, marketability, and capacity to make smart decisions—just because you’ve lost your job? Are you wondering how to overcome these psychological challenges, rebuild your self-confidence, increase your marketability, and regain your sense of sanity?

In today’s competitive job market you need more than a killer résumé and great interviewing skills to survive. Twenty-first-century job seekers must be able to deal with ambiguity, maintain a winner’s mindset, demonstrate customer focus, AND have a blow-your-socks-off résumé, and excellent interviewing skills. All of this requires that you be at the top of your game emotionally, physically, and mentally.

At one time or another all job seekers face the same basic challenges: résumés that don’t generate responses, telephone inquiries that don’t produce interviews, few or no callbacks for second interviews, networks that don’t perform, feedback from employers about not being a good match, and feeling stuck or otherwise unable to take action.

Why is it that some job seekers are able to overcome these obstacles and move on to interesting, well-paying positions, while others languish in low-paying, uninspiring jobs—or worse yet, simply drop out of the market? Smart job seekers have learned that 99 percent of job hunting has to do with developing a “Winner’s Mind-Set.” Apply these tips and you too will succeed in the job search mind game.

Today’s Successful Job Seekers

1. Have a handle on their emotions. They know that getting past negative emotions—fear, worry, anger, and embarrassment, all of which erode self-confidence—is essential to their long-term success.
   
2. Seek positive outlets for the frustrations that inevitably surface during a job search.
   
3. Refrain from job hunting until they are emotionally ready and are prepared with solid marketing materials – resume, business cards, and references.
   
4. Take time to review and assess their accomplishments, knowledge, and abilities before developing their job search strategy.
   
5. Learn from the experience of losing a job, whether it was the result of downsizing, company closing, etc., and find a way to capture the essential elements of the event and explain them in a meaningful way during job interviews.
   
6. Determine the price of being stuck in the job search, calculate the cost of not moving forward, make adjustments, and then take action.
   
7. Brainstorm ways around repeated resistance.
   
8. Use lulls in the job search wisely, to catch their breath and prepare for the next summit.
   
9. Let go of any shame or embarrassment they may feel about their situation and concentrate on the future.
   
10. Ask for help when they need it!

Implement these ten tips and you will have mastered the psychology behind a job search. If you would like to receive a copy of my related article, “Twelve Ways Around Fear,” send an e-mail to mjv@careercoachmjv.com with “Twelve Ways Around Fear” in the subject line.

Please Note: This information is for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical attention. If you are concerned about your mental health or that of another, please consult your family's health care provider immediately.

Copywrite. Mary Jeanne Vincent