Keeping Your Spirits Up During An Extended Job Search

I read an article this week that stated the average job search is said to be a whopping 10 months! I guess that extended the last estimate I heard which was around 6-9 months. Seems that now more than ever patience is far more than a virtue—it is a must!

As a job seeker, I encourage you to stay positive while on the hunt to avoid losing belief in your talents as a professional. Here are four great ways to do just that:

Be Confident About Your Presentation!

It’s extremely important that you feel you’re submitting quality resumes each and every time you apply for a job. If you don’t feel your resume is up to par, you need to make adjustments—and quickly. Make sure that each resume is appropriately tailored to each position to prove that you’re right for the job. If you know you’re giving each submission your all, you can feel better about the effort you’re making.

Mentors Can Open Doors

We all know that networking is important in any job search. But sometimes, it’s a good idea to dig deeper and find a person in your field that you trust to act as a confidant and mentor.

This person could be a former coworker, professor, friend, or family member whom you trust and who possesses a wealth of knowledge regarding methods that could help you get your foot in the doors of companies when it seems no one is hiring. They could also help keep you abreast of job opportunities and encourage you along the way.

Avoid Job Search Burnout

The Internet makes it possible for you to search and apply for jobs day and night if you so choose. But taking this route can leave you exhausted and feeling discouraged, especially if you’re not getting the offers you want. So make sure you’re taking breaks in your search—and enjoying your life when you’re not searching.

Take a long walk, cook a fun meal, get some exercise, or even volunteer in the spare time you create. When you return to your search, you’re sure to feel refreshed and ready to start again.

Stay Positive and Try What Works for Others

Another idea is to search for people who have been in your position and now have the jobs they wanted. There are bound to be stories online of people who were laid off, and after a long search, now have the opportunities they had most hoped for. Feel encouraged by the lessons they learned and what you can learn from your circumstances. Then know that your great job will come—just as theirs did.

It may seem impossible to stay encouraged if you’ve been looking for a job for months—or even years—with no luck. But if you keep a positive attitude and believe this challenging time will soon come to an end, before you know it, you will be shaking the hands of a hiring manager who is now your new boss.