In the ruthless world of job searching, it’s easy to become disheartened by rejection and setbacks.
However, what if you knew that your success in securing the ideal job wasn’t just about your skills or qualifications…
But also about your ability to maintain a resilient and optimistic mindset?
Discover how mastering this skill of optimism can be your secret weapon in beating today’s job market and securing a role that truly satisfies your career aspirations.
The Importance of Optimism
Optimism isn’t just a feel good concept; it’s a powerful mindset that drives perseverance and shapes outcomes. To put it bluntly, optimism can both:
- Help get you a job
- Help you deal with the stress and frustration of getting a job
Considering the nature of the job market and the ever-present barrage of rejections that every professional experiences; the utility of optimism should be obvious. After all, the ability to maintain a positive outlook, even in the face of adversity, is what allows you to keep pushing towards your goals, making it a crucial component of sustained success.
And while this optimism fueled resilience would be powerful enough on its own, the benefits of optimism goes deeper than that…
This is because, optimism not only enhances overall performance but can be systematically cultivated to maximize your career potential.
Optimism and Success Across Domains
Research demonstrates that career optimism can play an important role in achieving success across various fields. Especially in the workplace, a positive attitude can significantly enhance job performance and overall job satisfaction.
According to findings from the Journal of Management, employees who embrace optimism tend to excel in their roles and find more fulfillment in their work.
Additional research shows that a hopeful mindset helps to minimize stress and reduce conflicts between work and personal life.
Moreover, we also have substantial evidence that optimism is great for your physical and mental well being, especially quality of life.
Finally, it looks like optimists end up living longer!
The Impact of Optimism on Your Job Search
Now that we know that optimism is good for us, let’s get specific and look into how optimism – or the lack of it – can shape your job search experience.
Cycles of Optimism vs. Pessimism
Optimism can create a powerful, self-reinforcing cycle in your job search. When you maintain a positive outlook, you’re more likely to take proactive steps, such as applying for more positions or networking effectively. These actions can lead to success, which, in turn, boosts your optimism and keeps the cycle going.
For example, even at the most basic level: if you approach each job application with enthusiasm and a positive mindset, you’re more likely to stand out to potential employers (See Launch Your Career to learn about the enthusiasm trick), increasing your chances of being invited to interviews and getting jobs.
Optimism helps you get jobs.
The Cost of Pessimism and “Realism”
The converse is also true. While optimism propels you forward, pessimism – or what some might call “realism” – can be truly detrimental to your job search. It can prevent you from reaching opportunities that could have easily been within your grasp.
For instance, if you experience a few setbacks and start to believe that finding a job is hopeless, you might stop applying altogether. This inaction not only diminishes your chances of finding a job but can also lead to frustration and increased stress.
If it becomes chronic, it can lead to long term unemployment – which can destroy your career. (Employers stop even looking at your application, if you’ve been unemployed for more than six months.)
What Kind of Optimism Helps Your Job Search
It’s crucial to distinguish between genuine optimism and mere wishful thinking…
When we discuss optimism in the context of your job search, we’re not referring to a superficial cope or self-deluding fantasy. Instead, optimism is a practical tool that must be coupled with deliberate action to be effective.
ACTION IS THE KEY
In the related literature, there are two primary types of optimism we can talk about..
Complacent Optimism is like waiting for a miracle without lifting a finger. It’s the attitude where you expect things to turn out well, but you don’t put in the effort needed to make it happen.
For instance, if you just send out a few job applications and then sit back and wait, this kind of optimism isn’t going to get you far. You might end up missing out on opportunities and feeling stuck because you’re not actively working on improving your job search or engaging with the market – regardless of how optimistic you feel on the inside.
Conditional Optimism, on the other hand, is much more proactive. It’s about taking deliberate steps to improve your chances of getting a job you want, rather than waiting passively for it to happen – while simultaneously feeling optimistic about your efforts on the inside.
With conditional optimism, you’re not only sending job applications, but you are also working on your job application process. For example, you actively seek feedback on your resume, practice for interviews, or learn the necessary career skills to succeed in the post pandemic world.
This type of optimism not only boosts your chances of finding the right job, but also helps you feel more in control of your career – feeding your virtuous cycle.
Creating Artificial Optimism
But what if you are depressed? Frustrated? Been burned a few times…
What if you’re feeling down or disheartened from past setbacks?
How do you stay motivated when you doubt that your efforts will make a difference?
Many people aren’t taught how to develop optimism, especially in their careers. Instead, they focus on past failures, which only reinforces a negative mindset and leads to more setbacks. The key is to actively build optimism, even if it feels forced at first.
Keep in mind, techniques like visualization and positive expectation aren’t just for motivation; they’re proven tools that enhance confidence and focus, boosting performance.
Exercise: The Daily Achievement Journal
One effective way to cultivate optimism is to start a Daily Achievement Journal. This technique helps shift your focus from past failures to daily successes, no matter how small they may seem.
How to Do It:
- Set Aside Time: At the end of each day, spend 5-10 minutes reflecting on your accomplishments.
- Write Down Achievements: List three things you achieved that day, no matter how minor. This could be as simple as making a key phone call, completing a task, or even overcoming a small challenge.
- Acknowledge Progress: For each achievement, note how it moves you closer to your larger goals. Reflect on the effort and skills you utilized.
- Visualize Success: Alongside your achievements, spend a minute (60 seconds, no more, no less) visualizing your long-term goals. Imagine the steps you’re taking now as part of a bigger picture of the person you’re becoming.
- Reinforce Positivity: Conclude by writing a brief statement about how today’s achievements contribute to your overall success and potential.
Example Entry:
- Achievements: Completed cover letter, followed up with a networking contact, and learned a new skill from an online course.
- Progress: Each task brings me closer to my goals and enhances my skills.
- Visualization: I see myself applying these skills in my dream job, where I’m getting paid to learn new things that will boost my income.
Right Action: The Second Half of the Success Formula
A final few words…
While optimism is essential, it must also be paired with the right actions to achieve results. Blind optimism without action – or worse, wrong actions – will lead nowhere.
Optimism must be followed by action for it to work, as long as, of course, you keep on learning from your failures and adjusting your actions.
In other words, optimism is the “hack” that gets you to take enough wrong actions, so that you one day stumble into the right one. (Remember: it takes only one job application to get your dream job, as long as it is the right application.)
This is why, learning the right action early on, will help you get there faster.
Building a High-Value Career: Optimism + Right Action
To build a high-value career, optimism must be grounded in right action.
This means continuously honing your career skills, including but not limited to actions such as networking, personal branding, narrative control, cultivating power, negotiating, developing leverage, and understanding market trends.
By all means, be optimistic. Practice and cultivate conditional optimism. But don’t stop there, start there..
By practicing optimism and pairing it with the right actions, you can build a career that exceeds your wildest expectations.