Get Motivated for Your Job Search

CPL David Muir — Fri, 02 Oct 2020 14:21:32 -0400

Do you know what’s one of biggest reason for failing during a job search? Losing motivation.

Job searching can be very discouraging and can make you like you don’t want to move on. Becoming demoralized and unmotivated about your job search can end up causing your self-esteem to spiral downward. Not only is this a terrible thing to experience, but it also lessens your chances of securing a job. You will become desperate—wondering what to do next and why isn't this working? And the truth is employers can smell it and most likely will choose not to hire you.

The solution is finding ways to get motivated. Here are four strategies on how you can stay in the game:

1. Find people to talk to. You are going to run into challenges to stay motivated and they will often seem insurmountable. Develop a network of people that you can communicate with – online and in-person– who can act as a support group and a sounding board. There are also a number of dedicated support groups specifically for people in job search. Having someone to talk to about the challenges of job searching can help drain the negative energy.

2. Exercise is a great way to relieve stress. It makes you to feel better about your body and can have a positive impact on your mental well-being. Exercising will help release some of the negative thoughts associated with the job search, so you can be more focused on connecting with employers.

3. Maintain a healthy diet. Nutrition is critical to high performance. Many people, who are job searching, fail to take the time to focus on the food they eat. Eating junk food, while sitting in front of the computer, is common and can also lead to things like full bellies and sugar crashes, impeding your ability to focus and perform, and ultimately causing you to become demotivated.

4. Take time for yourself. A job search should be treated like a full-time job to be successful at finding the right career opportunity. And when working a full-time job, you do take time for yourself, for your hobbies and for your friends and family. Focus a part of your day on those things that you enjoy outside of work. Although it may be difficult to relax when under the pressure of a job search, it is important to take the time to recharge your batteries. This will empower you to approach your next day with motivation!

Motivation can come from almost anywhere. Whatever motivates you to get to work should be in the front of your mind every day. Use these strategies and challenge yourself to stay positive. Remember: you are worth a job and you deserve a job. We believe in you. You can do it. And there is a job out there for you!

Response by PO1 H Gene Lawrence made Oct 2 at 2020 2:24 PM

PO1 H Gene Lawrence — Fri, 02 Oct 2020 14:24:32 -0400

Those are all very great suggestions.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 2 at 2020 2:33 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 02 Oct 2020 14:33:55 -0400

CPL David Muir I agree that searching for as job should be treated like a full time job. effort. It is important for the job seeker to put in the time to make sure that they are fully prepared to outshine all other candidates for a career opening.

Response by Wayne Soares made Oct 3 at 2020 11:04 AM

Wayne Soares — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 11:04:01 -0400

Thanks for the share brother david

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 3 at 2020 11:08 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 11:08:11 -0400

Trades,trades,trades and you will enjoy life comfortably.

Response by Lt Col Leslie Bryant made Oct 3 at 2020 9:39 PM

Lt Col Leslie Bryant — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 21:39:04 -0400

Try searching for 3.5 yrs and getting one interview in that whole time despite 2 Bachelors, 3 Masters and going back to school for a 4th Master and having 10 yrs in the field and repeatedly being told you are overqualified! Overqualified meaning you are 50 yrs and older! Yes AGEISM is an issue in America! While motivation sounds interesting; AGEISM is also a factor for those over 50! The fact is many of our US Companies aren’t patriotic nor are they providers of jobs! You can have all the degrees, all the credentials, a new degree with new skills and have all the experience but because of AGEISM be forced to retire!!

Response by Sgt William Hodges made Oct 12 at 2020 11:12 PM

Sgt William Hodges — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 23:12:11 -0400

Great suggestions.

Response by 1SG Larry Everly made Oct 15 at 2020 9:38 AM

1SG Larry Everly — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 09:38:09 -0400

Nice post and good advice. Stay aggressive in your job search and be willing to make a lateral move or even a lesser role in order to get your foot in the door. Once hired, your character attributes will shine through and open the door(s) for advancement.

Response by 1SG Dave McWilliams made Oct 20 at 2020 7:40 AM

1SG Dave McWilliams — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 07:40:14 -0400

I want to start off by saying my own path to transition wasn’t easy but it was successful. I think their are key points to what I feel right looks like but may not fall in line with what is told at transitional assistance.
First find someone professional off post to help with making your military job into a resume that translates into civilian terms . I didn’t sit around plugging away at resumes . I looked for jobs after my resume was done . Mine was a chronological resume with a cover page that covered my last seven years .
Secondly , go for jobs not based on a military installation but where the money is and then find a place to live . Too many retirees get in the mindset of homesteading at their last location cause it is comfortable to them .
Lastly go out of your comfort zone in jobs to possibly line up something new .

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 13 at 2022 9:04 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 21:04:09 -0400

Go to the out-process center and they will help you make a resume to include translating your military duties into civilian ones. Go to job fairs with resumes in hand. Sometimes veterans can be hired on the spot.

Response by Lorelai Carpenter made Feb 27 at 2023 10:42 AM

Lorelai Carpenter — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 10:42:45 -0500

Hey, thanks for sharing those great tips for staying motivated during a job search!

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 21 at 2024 8:03 AM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 May 2024 08:03:30 -0400

Definitely, looking for a job can really wear you down, especially when you start losing hope. I had a tough time myself when I decided to leave my home country for better job opportunities in Europe. It was really hard to keep up with all the job ads and replies, which got pretty frustrating.

I finally found some help when I came across a list of recruitment agencies that specialize in placing people in jobs across Europe. I checked out this list on https://sponsorshipopportunitiesin.com/top-10-job-recruitment-agencies-in-europe-for-foreign-workers/ and decided to give it a try. Within two weeks, I landed a job as a call center manager in France. This really turned things around for me, making me feel a lot better about my career and life in general.

Top 10 Job Recruitment Agencies in Europe For Foreign Workers