Keeping Your Spirits Up During An Extended Job Search

Keeping Your Spirits Up During An Extended Job SearchI read an article this week that stated the average job search is said to be a whopping 10 months I guess that extended the last estimate I heard which was around 6-9 months. Seems that now mora than ever patience is far more than a virtueit is a mustAs a job seeker, I encourage you to stay positive while on the hunt to avoid losing belief in your talents as a professional. Here are four great ways to do just thatBe Confident About Your PresentationIts extremely important that you feel youre submitting quality resumes each and every time you apply for a job. If you dont feel your resume is up to par, you need to make adjustmentsand quickly. Make sure that each resume is appropriately tailored to each position to prove that youre right for the job. If you know youre giving each submission your all, you can feel better about the effort youre making.Mentors Can Open DoorsWe all know that networking is important in any job search. But sometimes, its a good idea to dig deeper and find a person in your field that you trust to act as a confidant and mentor.This person could be a former coworker, professor, friend, or family member whom you trust and who possesses a wealth of knowledge regarding methods that could help you get your foot in the doors of companies when it seems no one is hiring. They could also help keep you abreast of job opportunities and encourage you along the way.Avoid Job Search burnout-syndromThe Internet makes it possible for you to search and apply for jobs day and night if you so choose. But taking this route can leave you exhausted and feeling discouraged, especially if youre not getting the offers you want. So make sure youre taking breaks in your searchand enjoying your life when youre not searching.Take a long walk, cook a fun meal, get some exercise, or even volunteer in the spare time you create. When you return to your search, youre sure to feel refreshed and ready to abflug again.Stay Positive and Try What Works for OthersAnother idea is to search for people who have been in your position and now have the jobs they wanted. There are bound to be stories online of people who were laid off, and after a long search, now have the opportunities they had most hoped for. Feel encouraged by the lessons they learned and what you can learn from your circumstances. Then know that your great job will comejust as theirs did.It may seem impossible to stay encouraged if youve been looking for a job for monthsor even yearswith no luck. But if you keep a positive attitude and believe this challenging time will soon come to an end, before you know it, you will be shaking the hands of a hiring manager who is now your new boss.For more great advice follow us on twitter GreatResume.

If Your Manager Doesnt Do This, Its Time To Quit

If Your Manager Doesnt Do This, Its Time To Quit All the data bears out that women have it harder in the workplace expectations are higherbei, evaluations are tougher, and biases persist.So if youre going to rise above that maelstrom and succeed, you better have a manager who does one thing for you above all else supports you.What does true support from a manager look like? Consider these three case studies1. Does your manager support your judgment?Susan welches an impressive department leader with significant specialty knowledge in her field. She had two small children at home, and commuted more than one hour each day. Her commitment to her company welches strong and she had over 30 very loyal employees within her supervision and influence. She was definitely the kind of employee you want to hold onto.One day, the finance department began to question Susans selection of one particular vendor over another, with which the corporate parent had a connection. Susan knew that a change of providers could directly hurt revenues, so she fought hard against the finance teams suggestion. Yet they persisted, and Susan began to feel despondent and even question her commitment to her job.Soon, though, Susans manager, Stuart, stepped in to lend support. Stuart emphasized the value of Susans judgment to the finance team, and took her side in the disagreement. His support not only eased the pressure from the outside department on Susan, but he renewed her energy and commitment which were good for Susan and also the company. Had he left her without support, this story could have ended quite differently.2. Does your manager support your career trajectory?Louise was feeling stagnant in her role. She was a consistent performer, but she felt her contributions went unnoticed, and her future opportunities were limited. When she went to talk to her manager, Eleanor, she acknowledged Louises feelings right away and helped her pull together a career plan. Together, they assembled a l ist of 5 key people that Louise should meet, and Louises manager made introductions for Louise.Although it might mean losing a steady contributor, Eleanor was happy to help Louise fulfill the next chapter of her career which will no doubt keep Louise engaged. And, in helping Louise, others on Eleanors team understood that they had a manager who wanted the best for her employees, so they became more motivated and felt more secure.3. Does your manager support you - even when you make mistakes?The last story is one about me And it is one of my favorites. Right out of college, I had the fantastic opportunity to work for Estee Lauder in their Fragrance Marketing group. parte of my responsibility was to schedule and produce in-store promotions for the fragrances. For one Fathers Day promotion, I decided that what we should do to support fragrance sales was to give away adorable stuffed puppies with the fragrance. I was certain that my idea was brilliant, but I have no idea why.At any rat e, my idea was not brilliant. It was terrible. And we ended up with about 9,500 unsold stuffed puppies. But did my manager say to me, That was a terrible idea Not at all. Without calling significant attention to my failure, he quietly donated the stuffed puppies to a childrens hospital and applauded my courage to try something new. Which of course, made me feel relieved, supported and happy to work there.In hindsight, my boss was not just a nice guy although he most definitely was but he was also fostering a culture of experimentation that is critically important for a large company that wants to compete nimbly in todays world.If you answered no to any of these questions, its time to departure looking for your next job. Check out hundreds ofjobs at great companies for womenhere.Fairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women.Join us by reviewing your employer