As Congress Ignores Unemployment Job Hunters Get More Depressed

Desperation leads people to start looking at any job to get some work. The Seattle Times wrote ab out an award winning professional who’d sent out 500 resumes and hadn’t gotten a job…he was actually applying to the zoo to be a popper scooper. I found it astonishing that he’d not used his unemployment to learn more effective ways to job hunt, but depression and fear sink more job hunters ships than anything else.

We are getting so many emails and phone calls from frantic people looking for help. They are in a panic that they are close to losing their home, have been out of work for months and months and haven’t found a job –any job. So many tell us how they are so depressed because they don’t know what else to do.

Maybe you had unrealistic expectations. Maybe you didn’t realize it was time to change careers, get some more education, or that how you looked for a job in the past isn’t working now. Whatever the issues are, you need a reality check and a new attitude and some better ways to job hunt

Face facts. Most job hunts today last six to ten months. For executives it can be over a year.  Be on the look-out for these things that contribute to the blues:

1. negative self-talk
2. uncontrolled fear and anxiety
3. on-going depression
4. devaluing yourself and/or reinforcing low self-esteem
5. unsupportive or dysfunctional personal relationships
6. moping — feeling sorry for yourself

OK, from today on, you must fight back and take control over your future. Stop hoping, wishing, and change what you’ve been doing since it hasn’t worked. Keep this in mind – hope is only a wish, unless it is backed up with a solid enacted plan that turns your dream into a reality. You have great talents to offer an employer, so begin anew.

Robin Ryan’s Job Search Action Tip

Great opportunities are out there and one has your name on it!

First you must change your attitude and assume that you can and WILL find a new job. From now on begin your day with at least one hour of exercise – walking is a good way to start the day.  This gets your endorphins going and lifts your mood. When you are working out listen to feel-good music, it’s a universal mood improver. Then tackle your job search activities for the day.

Develop a Can-do. Will-do. Done! Attitude. This is the attitude so many CEOs live by: Can-do – meaning they believe they resolve problems; they’ll find a way to do it, or they will find some expert to direct them to the solution. Will-do – they implement the action steps to achieve a successful outcome. Done! – they accomplish the goal.  Follow the lead of successful people.  Write out your goals, read some articles and books for new ideas.  Visualize success for yourself.  Thinking about success really does create it, because as you think about success you’ll begin to do things in a more effective way.