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A friend
recently shared with me how her husband fell into a yearlong depression after
he was laid off from his finance job during the global economic meltdown of
late 2008. He’d worked hard all his life, thrived on the pressures and
challenges of his work, and enjoyed the money he earned. The story of my
friend’s husband is one I’ve heard many times. The challenge people in that
situation face is how to handle not only the loss of their job, but the many
emotions that arise. Confucius said that our natures are alike (i.e., no one
likes being sacked), it’s our habits that separate us. Below are seven habits
to help you stand apart from the pack, move your job application to the top of
the pile, and land not only a job, but perhaps an even better one than you had
before.
1. Stay
future-focused.
Focus on
the future and on what you need to do to effectively establish yourself on the
job front. What you focus on expands, so focus on what you want, not what you
don’t want.
2. Don’t let your
job status define you.
Try not to
take job loss too personally. Who you are is not what you do. You are defined
by you, not by your job or a company’s decision whether or not to
employ you. Don’t take job loss as a personal rejection. It may well be due to
economic forces far beyond your control.
3. Make self-care a
priority.
When
you’ve lost your job it is all too to easy plant yourself on the couch, remote
in one hand, beer or bag of chips in the other, and wallow in self-pity. Many
do! Studies have found that exercise builds resilience, leaving you more immune
to stress. Get outdoors, go for a run, do some gardening, or just do something
that lifts your spirits – whether building your kids a cubby house or taking
your dog to the beach – and helps to shift the negative emotions that have the
potential to keep you from being proactive in your job hunt.
4. Surround
yourself with positive people.
Be
intentional about who you hang out with and don’t get sucked into the vortex of
those who want a marathon pity party. Surround yourself with people who lift
you up, and avoid those who don’t. Read positive books, watch inspiring movies,
and remember that your family will take their cue from you.
5. Tap your
network.
The more
people who know what you want, the more who can help you get what you want. Whatever
you do, never underestimate the power of your network to open up opportunities
and land you that “lucky break” you were hoping for.
6. Treat finding a
job as a job.
Create
structure in your day. Sure you have more time on your hands than you did
before, but you will be amazed how little you can do in a day if you aren’t
intentional about what you want to get done. Create a job search plan with
goals and small manageable steps. Then prioritize, structure your day and treat
finding a job as a job.
7. Extend kindness.
scientists
have found that acts of kindness produce some of the same “feel good” chemicals
in the brain as anti-depressants. In addition, when we give our time to help
others, it helps us stop dwelling on our own problems, and makes us realize how
much we have to be thankful for. It can also be an effective way to build your
network, and show potential employers you are not sitting idly by waiting for
work to come your way.