The Importance of Mindset

By Stephanie Moynihan, Development Officer at IRD Duhallow

The search for a job can be a stressful and anxious time. You may feel overwhelmed, especially if you have been unemployed or job searching for a while. Staying optimistic and hopeful is sometime easier said than done, yet it is so very important. Have a read through the following suggestions to support you through this time of change.

Treat your search like a job

Stick to a daily structure and routine to maintain focused. Treat your search for a job like a job that you start at the same time every morning, take a meaningful break from and that finishes at the same time every day.

Be prepared and organised

Make sure that your CV is up to date and that you have draft cover letter that you can be easily tweaked to suit the roles you are applying for. Is your LinkedIn profile current? Do you have an outfit for an interview ready should you be invited at short notice? And have you thought about who you could ask to give you a reference? It is key to focus on these basics.

Give yourself a break

Be kind to yourself and take regular breaks from your job search to give your mind a break. Perhaps you would like to spend some time outdoors. As darker autumn nights are looming, it its particularly important to spend some time outdoors during the day if you can. Exercising and spending quality times with friends and family will also help you recharge.

Focus on the positives

Celebrate the small wins! Did you send an application off? Great! Did you narrow down your search helping yourself to be efficient? Well done, that’s another step! Give yourself credit for small successes along the way. Last but not least:

Keep your chin up!

IRD Duhallow’s SICAP-funded Job Centre offers support and guidance to people in relation to CV preparation, the interview process and job seeking. Contact Stephanie on 02960633 for assistance. SICAP 2018-2022 is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development with co-funding from the European Social Fund (ESF) as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014-2020