It is tough out there when you're looking for work. Companies are laying off employees in multiple rounds. We are then competing with others who were laid off. Companies are taking very long to make decisions, prolonging our turmoil. It's not much easier for those left behind. Survival guilt seems a little cliché at this point. I can't say that I felt guilty when I wasn't the one on the chopping block. I felt demoralized. How much harder do I have to work to prove my worth now? It's not a good place to be. Trust me. Whether you've been recently laid off or you've been spamming your resumes on LinkedIn for 6 months, finding the motivation within will fuel your job search to its successful conclusion.
1. Understand that you will find work. It took me 3 weeks to find work with active searching. I found a job that wasn't a lateral move but a move towards my career goals. It's a job that's better than the previous job. I landed it without connections or referrals, I landed it with merit. I wasn't boasting. I was my authentic self. Get it in your head that you will be employed again. This isn't an economic crisis of epic proportions. You will not be standing outside a factory with other vagrants begging for work. If you have been employed before with legitimate means, you will be employed again.
2. You are indeed unique.
Get your head out of the competitive mode. You're not in direct competition with everyone else. We're not all the same, you're unique. You bring something very intriguing ideas to the table. You can solve a problem for that next company. They are desperately looking for someone like you. Take a look at yourself. Your skillset, your history, your strengths are that of an individual. There's nobody out there exactly like you. Only you know exactly what makes you stand out. Take a moment and reflect. Once you know what that is, propose your solution to the company out there. 3. Have confidence in yourself.
I hope this doesn't come across wrong, but nobody wants to speak with a wet mop. If you're expelling negativity and resentment, you will need to pivot your mindset. It comes off in any conversation you have, regardless if that person is a recruiter or a barista. If you are still hurting from the layoff, take time to reflect on why and let it go. It's in the past, you cannot change it. Focus on the present and imagine the future. It's full of possibilities. 4. Be you. Once I was told that maybe my approach was wrong when I didn't hear back from the recruiter. Baloney! Treat interview process like dating. If you pretend to be someone else, sooner or later you will be found out or you will become miserable pretending. So there you go. This advice isn't much but I hope it will serve as a bit of motivation. Trust yourself and everything will work out.
