Five Ways to Stay Upbeat During Job Search

It’s tough to feel upbeat about job search. There aren’t very many activities in life that take as much energy while returning so little reward, at least on a daily basis. Of course, the reward comes at the end, making this one of life’s ultimate exercises in delayed gratification.

If this sounds like a problem you’ve been experiencing, these ideas for staying upbeat may be just the ticket.

1. Create a strategy for your job search. Having a map of where you’re going makes a huge difference on a daily basis. Do you even know if you want to work for a small or large company? Answers to simple questions like this hold the key for what kind of process to follow. And having a process gives you more control, which is always a boost.

2. Keep a schedule. Get up at the same time each morning and dress for work. Then get started on the job search tasks you’ve scheduled for the day. Having a purpose for each day is much more motivating than wandering aimlessly through it.

3. Plan constructive activities, such as training sessions, volunteer assignments or a part-time job. You’ll get a boost from doing something besides job search each day, and you’ll build your resume as well.

4. Ignore employment statistics. There’s nothing uplifting about these reports, even when the numbers are positive. You’ll feel better if you don’t immerse yourself in statistics you can’t control anyway.

5. Get support from others. One good way to do that is by joining a job club where other job seekers can share their successes and make you feel better about your prospects.