4 Practical Psychology Hacks for Job Seekers

Written By Thrive Network
Screen Shot 2021-01-20 at 9.27.23 AM.png

Courtney Rinden is a Customer Success Associate at ID.me and member of ThriveNetwork.
Connect with Courtney on LinkedIN

So, you’re on the job hunt. You’ve been laid off, your company folded, or you’re seeking a change. Whatever has brought you to this moment, I’m here to tell you that beyond any tactical skills, hard-earned degrees, or personal connections, you have something that can and definitely will give you an advantage in your job search—and it’s already within you. I’m talking about your mindset.

You don’t need to be an optimist or mental wellness junkie for these approaches to work. Heck, you don’t have to employ all of these strategies to see results! Try on just one of these approaches for a couple of weeks and I promise it’ll make a significant impact on your job hunt and your well being. Let’s dive in.

1. Reframe Your Thoughts

While you can’t fully control your job circumstances, you do have tremendous power to control how you interpret your situation, also known as reframing. Begin by noticing the quality and content of your thoughts. How are you feeling about your current situation? What are you telling yourself about your identity as an employee or candidate on the job market? What are your thoughts on the job search altogether? 

If you’re in a great headspace, feeling confident and jazzed about your prospects, more power to you! However, if you’re like most people, thinking about applying, interviewing, landing an offer for a new job can trigger anxiety, doubt, fear, and worry. If this sounds like you, please know that it’s OK to feel these things. When you dwell in these negative feelings, however, is when you run into mental roadblocks.

If you’re having repeated negative thoughts about the job search, start to practice noticing your thoughts and write them down. Instead of accepting these sour thoughts as truth, start to question their validity. If you need some help, talk to a friend or loved one. Imagine your best friend is going through your exact situation. What would you tell them if they shared those same thoughts? Surely you wouldn’t beat them up; you’d empathize with their pain, cheer them on, and help them think creatively about ways to land their dream job! As you continue on your job hunt, journaling or reflecting on your situation, and taking note of the content quality of your thoughts and challenging them with reality-based, objective observations will help you feel a sense of connection to yourself, the challenge in front of you, and what exactly you’re looking for.

Oftentimes we can get so tied up listening to our own gloomy mental narrative on repeat that we can’t see what’s actually true about our situation. Reframing negative thoughts in a more gentle, objective direction is a critical tool for managing how you show up in your life each day, especially when you need to put your best foot forward on the job hunt.

2. Embrace Curiosity & Exploration of the Unknown

Whether or not you asked for this moment of professional pause, you’re here. Welcome to the great unknown! 

Now that you’re here, you’d be wise to explore all the fields, roles, companies and industries that interest you. What have you liked about past jobs? What would you like to do differently in your next role? In the beginning, you may find yourself signing up for every free training, seminar, recruiting newsletter, etc.—this is a good thing. Inspiration is everywhere, and you never know who you’ll meet or what’ll spark your imagination. This is your time to get curious about your possibilities.

When it comes to exploring the professional world, informational interviews are the bomb.com. If you can overcome fears of talking to strangers on the phone or on Zoom, it’s well worth the nerves or self-doubt you have to muscle through to make them happen. Cold emails and requests on LinkedIn may not always get a reply, but when they do, you’re in. As with exploring new fields or roles, cast your informational interview net far and wide. If you’re new to this or not sure where to begin though, prioritize quality over quantity. 

Informational interviews are perfect for gathering deeper industry and role-specific data to inform and energize your search. They’re also great practice for sharing your elevator pitch with strangers and giving you day-in-the-life style insights. Plus, open roles at the interviewee’s company aside, asking about their job is flattering and people who are satisfied and truly like their jobs often want to share their career with others. Most times, they’ll be complimented that you reached out and have valuable insights (or other connections to share!) as you dive deeper into what you’re looking for or how to shape your applications. 

See each touchpoint as a small step in your greater exploration endeavor. You’re on a mission to find an awesome job, and the more you share your desire and energy with others, the more they’ll share right back with you. 

3. Share Yourself Generously With Others

In a COVID-struck world that’s devoid of many uplifting activities you’d turn to in a traditional job transition, it’s tempting to turn inward and feel sorry for yourself. You may feel like no matter what you’ve accomplished previously, the job market has changed and you’re not up to speed, or that there’s no way you can make the career pivot you’re after without formal education. These thoughts stem from a space of “lack” or scarcity mindset and focus on what’s missing. 

As you’re applying to jobs, networking, and generally going through the motions of your new job-search oriented life, I encourage you to focus on what you do have, and what you can contribute, in every situation. 

Wherever you are in your career, you’ve got experience, perspective, and a big ‘ole brain in your noggin that’s uniquely yours. This is both incredible and a reason to rejoice, because it means you have something to share with others. Sharing who you are, your personal mission and goals, and your presence with others is a powerful gift. Beyond this, it takes exactly zero dollars to pay someone a compliment or recognize them for their hard work, accomplishments, or time shared with you.

When preparing for each aspect of the job search, brainstorm and reflect on how you can be a contribution to whomever you’re speaking with. Whether it be your positive attitude, a relatable aside, validating a personal detail a recruiter shares with you, proposing a new idea for the person’s business, or sending a thank you note post-interview—every opportunity you get, contribute something, anything, of value to those around you. Share that value freely and generously with the world, and you’ll be surprised what might happen.

Think about how you feel when someone shares a great tidbit, idea or recommendation with you. You can be that person! All it takes is the willingness to share without expectation of anything in return.

4. Maintain a Sense of Suprisability.

This last mindset shift has to do with hope. Early on in the pandemic, I heard a lot about how hope isn’t just a feeling, it’s an action, too. Hope is more than “I hope I get this job.” To me, hope involves maintaining a sense of optimistic surprisability. It also involves imagining positive outcomes as much or even more than you imagine negative outcomes. In the world of psychology, this is known as mental modeling.

While admittedly very few mental models (except for Bill Gates’s, maybe?) included contingency plans for the past year we’ve had, it’s now much easier to create what-if job search scenarios that factor in these unprecedented times. Previously, this would include brainstorming potential interview questions , planning your personal pitch line by line, and thinking through every stage in the application process. Now, it’s crucial to consider what you’ll do if your internet cuts out mid-virtual interview or how you’ll gauge office culture if you don’t get a chance to meet in-person. 

Granted, you can’t account for every situation, but this practice still helps to build your mental resilience. By preparing for possible outcomes and planning out how you’d react or overcome those challenges, you’re setting yourself up to be successful even in the face of adversity. Plus, it’s a fun creative practice, where you can brainstorm all of the possible positive change-ups and how you’ll knock it out of the park when the perfect opportunity arises! This is really where the magic lies. Plan for it, practice playing out the scenario in your mind, and you’ll act with grace and confidence no matter what the world throws your way.

In Conclusion….

You can journal, explore, network and plan for days, but the truth remains that no one really ever knows exactly what’s going to happen; that’s the blessing and burden of life we all deal with. By building a more resilient mindset, you’re giving a nod to the universal truth that you’re not in control, and recognizing that there are many factors that go into ultimately landing a job!

Focus on what you can control—your habits, your routines, your consumption (media, food, etc.), and most importantly, your thoughts—and you’ll find that this job search can be extraordinarily valuable in shaping who you are and what you can bring to a new role, if only you let it.

What mindset practices are you cultivating? What resources have been especially helpful in your search?

Resources for Job Seekers in Customer Success:

Thrive Network
Next

Lessons Learned from the Job Search