by Heidi Greathouse, Head Editor, INALJ Utah

Having A Positive Perspective

Have you ever felt like life is going against you and things do not go as planned?  I am sure many of us have felt this in the job search world such as when we get rejection after rejection, not getting the promotion we wanted, or other disappointments.  You may feel like you will never get a job that matches your education and experience and that you are meant to stay in your circumstance forever.  Well, I have felt all of these feelings myself recently.  I know that what is important know is to realize that we, at times, cannot control our circumstances, but we can have a positive perspective on life.  Here are some suggestions to having a positive outlook in the job search:

1)      Visualize the future:  Where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years?  This can take some imagination especially since you do not know exactly how your vision will be realized. You need to envision yourself in your desired position and being successful at it.  You need to visualize yourself making a difference.

2)      Focus on what you can control:  You can control how your cover letters and résumé look.  You can control how you act in an interview.  You can control how well you fill out an application.  Most of all, you can control your attitude and reaction in your different experiences and circumstances.  Choose to be strong and move forward!

3)      Find a Mentor:  It is a lot better to have a positive attitude when you have some who is positive around you.  Find someone who can give you advice, but will not criticize or demean you. Find someone who can cheer you on when you feel like you cannot keep going.

4)      Evaluate Yourself: This might be hard to do, but it is a good thing to think about our strengths and weaknesses and our likes and dislikes.  It will help us focus on what type of job we can handle and what kind of job we would be good at.  Think about the times when you were happy using a certain talent or skill.

5)      Be Grateful:  At times this may be hard to do, but it is extremely important.  If we are not grateful for what we have now, we will never have a positive perspective.  We need to be happy and positive now because there is always going to be something that we lack and want.

6)      Be Patient:  This one is a hard one for me.  Sometimes I think that I will never find a library job that matches my experience and education.  Following our dreams takes time and we may not get the job we want until years down the road.  Be happy of the little accomplishments you are doing that will help you in your future position.

7)      Have Faith and Never Give Up:  Have faith that everything happens for a reason and things will work out the way they are supposed to.  I am a firm believer in that.  I know that if we do all we can do, life will be better for us.  If we have confidence in the future and never give up on our goals, then we can always have that positive perspective.

I know that I am not perfect in having a positive perspective at times.  My emotions seem like they go in a roller coaster, but I know if we try to be positive, then we can enjoy life and others will see that positivity including the employer to your future job!