At first I was afraid, I was petrified …
Kept thinking I could never live without [that job of mine]
And I spent oh so many nights
Just feeling sorry for myself, I used to cry
But now I hold my head up high
I will survive!
Now that Gloria Gaynor’s incredible voice is running through your head, think about how important attitude is during any career transition.
Losing a job is tough. In so many cultures, what we do and how much money we make feels intrinsically tied to who we are. When we lose that perceived value, we can doubt ourselves, question our value, and get swamped by negative feelings.
Those feelings and reactions are real and normal … but they can derail our success in finding a new job. That’s because how we feel is often reflected in how we act, what we say, and how we appear to others.
This advice is not appropriate for people with serious depression or other major issues, but in a job search the best solution is often to “fake it till you make it.” In other words – ACT with purpose, confidence, and good humor even if you are not feeling much like that at all.
And, studies show that the way we act does affect the way we feel! A few examples:
- http://ideas.time.com/2013/04/22/how-powerful-people-think/
- http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are
So … cry in private, process your emotions, and deal with any issues that led to your job loss. But before you put yourself out into the job market, take that power pose, do that disco dance, and ACT with confidence.