Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The Emotions that Lie Behind Your Search Will Fuel Your Search

As career coaches we see people in transition all the time. Sometimes because they want to make a change. Sometimes because they are forced to make a change. Regardless of how it starts, those searching for a new opportunity each have their own individual, unique energy. The energy behind a search fuels that search so it is critical to identify the energy behind your search. If that energy is not helping your cause, re-start your search by adjusting the energy.

Here are some of the energy types we see most often.

Low Energy – Some job seekers are apathetic or lacking energy toward their search. This often comes from a place of fear. They are ruled by their fear their search won’t be successful or it will be hard. They are afraid they don’t know where they want to go or can’t get the job they want. They can even be afraid of just components of the search (ugly resume or a hard event to explain) so they have no energy for any part of the search. There are three main problems with low energy. First, if it comes from unnecessary, unfounded or resolvable fear, that needs to be addressed or it will follow the person in to the future. Second, low energy can result in a lack of activity and effort toward the search which gets you nowhere. Finally, low energy comes out in the interview either as apathy or a lack of confidence. Nothing good can come from that, particularly when you really do need to get a new job.

Nervous Energy – Some job seekers have an almost visible physical tick when faced with their job search. The nerves associated with searching for a job make them panicky and anxious. This often leads to an uneven and unfocused job search because as soon as something doesn’t happen as quickly as they want or they meet resistance or rejection, they change their plan. They may even stop their search for a short-time to rebound from the experience. In interviews they often come off as lacking self confidence and focus. Ultimately, they don’t present themselves as confident, focused and in-control professionals which is what most employers want to add to their team.

Frantic Energy – Closely related to nervous energy, but with its own peculiarities is frantic energy. This person is determined to find that next thing quickly and without being stopped or stalled by anything in their path because not getting a job is just out of the question. It can’t happen! They put lots of energy toward their search, but because they are trying to fulfill the goal of finding a job in a certain timeframe or a job with certain criteria (pay, schedule, etc.), they push everything forward quickly and sometimes without thoughtfulness. They also tend to get antsy when they don’t hear back from a potential employer quickly which can lead to inappropriate levels of follow-up with the organization. They also risk being seen as desperate and, in the worst case scenario, a bit scary.

Focused Energy – The best kind of energy is focused energy. This energy treats finding a job like it is a job. The person is consistent with their energy except when they take structured breaks from the search. A structured break is one taken to attend to other personal things or refresh and renew so they can remain consistently energized. This person makes and works a plan and processes unhealthy fears so they can push forward with the best version of themselves for the purpose of impressing potential employers.

You can likely identify which energy you have right now, but that is not the end of the story. You can choose to have another energy. You need to stop, assess, and change your energy to get your search on track. If you are currently working with a negative energy and can’t see how you can change it, we recommend a two step process. First, make a workable job search plan with objectives and deadlines. Second, fake it (good energy) until you feel it. Good luck!

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