Job Search-No Fear, No Failure?
Share
Wouldn’t life be great if your job searches were never touched by fear or failure? You would proceed with total confidence from start to finish and have a desirable outcome every time. Right–and I’m the Queen of Sheba!

And what about fear of failure? Sounds like a double-whammy, doesn’t it?

Realism in the Job Search

I’ve never met anyone who could honestly say he or she had never experienced fear or failure in a job search. Even the most successful individuals have, at some time or other, encountered either or both of them. If you can accept that as natural and normal, you’re in a stronger position at the outset of any job search you plan and conduct. What matters more is what you do when fear or failure rears its ugly head in your job search.

Where might the fear aspect come in? Aside from things like the pressure of wondering if you’ll be able to pay the mortgage next month, fear can smack you in the face on a number of fronts or it can sneak up on you when you’re not paying as much attention as you should. If you recognize the possibility for such occurrences early on, you can at least minimize the occurrence of fear and reduce its intensity–thereby enhancing the positive energy of your job search.

The desirable corollary of that is the reduced likelihood of failure in achieving the goal of your job search. Notice that I said “reduced” likelihood, not the elimination. Unless you’re Superman or Wonder Woman, I doubt that you can completely eliminate the possibility of failing to achieve your goal (desired position). What you might well be able to do, with the right kind and amount of forethought and planning, is to increase your odds of success by taking savvy job-search steps. You know many of those, right? Building and maintaining a strong professional network, continually refining and upgrading your skills and expertise, etc.

Fear or Failure, Success or Excellence:
Look for (on) the Bright Side
I’ve just read two items written by people I follow that fit at least loosely with the theme of this post. Here they are, with my comments added:
  • “What good is an idea if it remains an idea? Try. Experiment. Iterate. Fail. Try again. Change our world.” (Simon Sinek, StartWithWhy) The same could be said to some extent about your current or next job search. When you have a desired goal (position) in mind (the idea), try for it. If it doesn’t work out the way you’d hoped, analyze the reason(s), regroup and try for another one.
  • “We can look at competition as the standard or as an indicator of our progress towards our own standards. We can chase success or we can embark on a quest for excellence and focus 100% of our energy to become our best… and let success find us.” (Jon Gordon, Jon Gordon’s Weekly Newsletter, Jan. 27, 2014) What standards have you set for yourself in the job search? If they’re within reach, use them as your guide in conducting the most effective job search you can. Know what your target employers’ probable needs are and do your best to demonstrate your value as a solution to those needs. Be knowledgeable about your competition, but don’t be driven by it.
Enthusiasm, insight and determination might not totally prevent fear or failure, but they can go a long way toward keeping it at bay. Put them to work for you in your job search. I’ll bet you won’t be sorry.