Staying Positive During Your Job Search

After months of unemployment it is natural to feel frustrated and overwhelmed. The important issue is not to remain in a mental state of negativity and although you may not have control over your employment situation, you do have power toward your emotional well-being.

While job seeking is an obvious part of your daily routine, incorporating time for other interests is vital. How many times, while you were employed, did you say, “I wish that I had time for…?” View this period of unemployment as an opportunity.

Volunteer! It is rewarding for you and the recipient of service. Realizing that looking for a job can be a fulltime job in itself, making an effort to volunteer somewhere with in your community is multipurpose. You’re helping your community but you’re also receiving the benefit of sharing your skills and keeping those skills sharp. In regard to benefiting your employment, employers do look at your volunteer work and the availability to network through volunteering is huge.

Learn a new skill or brush up on your current ones. There are free online courses available such as GFC Learn Free, as well as, low or no cost courses available through your local community college.

Take the time to make face-to-face connections. You’ll probably find a section that lists all sorts of groups in your local newspaper. Quite a few of them are business oriented. Meetup.com lists every type of group that you can imagine. Don’t limit your networking solely to business-focused groups. If you have a hobby, join a group. You may just meet someone who can lead to your next job.