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Job Searching Tips During War Time
by Nathan Newberger
During times of war, it can be very difficult to focus on your life.
Though you may not be on the front lines, war may still affect you.
War, in some fashion, affects the lives of every person of every
country involved. That means that both job seekers and job recruiters
may have difficulty focusing on day-to-day life.
Even though it is difficult, staying focused is vital to the job
hunter. This http://www.WorkTree.com career article by Nathan Newberger provides you
some key points to consider when examining your job search during
turbulent times. Keep the following in mind:
1. Be aware, not obsessed
2. Keep your head up
3. Charge ahead
4. Watch your mouth
1. BE AWARE, NOT OBSESSED
With so many 24-hour news television channels providing non-stop war
coverage, it is easy to lose yourself in current events. No matter
what the political climates may be, keeping a strong focus on your
job search is the best way to find a job. Here are a couple of items
to consider if you are suffering from a lack of focus:
-
SET LIMITS. Although you could probably devote your entire life to
watching the news, it does not mean that you should. Allow
yourself a specific amount of time to read articles or watch news
coverage relating to the war. If you have boundaries set, you
will know exactly when you have stopped focusing on your job
search and can correct the problem immediately.
- SET GOALS. One of the best ways to get work done and keep track
of your progress is to write down goals for yourself. Crossing
off tasks as you get them done boosts your spirits and seeing a
list of the tasks you have not completed will keep you focused.
Whether the goals are for the month, the week, or the day, having
a list helps.
2. KEEP YOUR HEAD UP
Businesses often move more slowly during times of war. They often
reduce spending and postpone hiring decisions. This means your job
search may be unexpectedly extended. Maintaining a positive attitude
and staying productive become even more important.
You are the expert on how to keep yourself motivated, but if you
still have trouble, consider these thoughts:
- BE REAL. You know the difficulties of finding a job. You know the
complications that come with war. Don't expect a miracle to
happen. The quickest way to lose your motivation is to fall short
of your own expectations. Give yourself a fighting chance by
making your expectations realistic given the current situation.
- STAY CONSTRUCTIVE. Job offerings can be especially sparse during
wartime. Even if you cannot spend all your time actually applying
for jobs, that doesn't mean you cannot use your time wisely. Edit
your resume, improve your cover letter, do more networking- just
stay busy.
- TAKE BREAKS. An important part of keeping yourself motivated is
keeping yourself sane. If you don't take the time to let your
mind focus on other (less stressful) tasks, you risk becoming
slow and inefficient.
3. CHARGE AHEAD
Since companies are more standoffish during times of war, the job
hunter must take control of the wheel. Now more than ever, you need
to be aggressive. This may be difficult to do given what is going on
in the world, but is the only hope you have for finding work during
troubled times.
To maintain an aggressive attitude and a fighting spirit, remember:
- PERSISTENCE, PERSISTENCE, PERSISTENCE. Recruiters may be less
focused on hiring, so you need to remind them that you are in the
market. Letters or emails are the perfect choice. As long as they
are not too frequent (about once every 2 weeks), letters will
serve as a reminder, without being an annoyance.
- TACKLE INTERVIEWS. Other people looking for jobs will also have
trouble focusing on a job search. If you have maintained your
motivation, interviews are the perfect opportunity to outshine
your competition.
- LEARN THE COMPANY. It is especially important to read up on
company backgrounds to impress recruiters. If you can show
recruiters that you are still taking the time out to learn the
business, you will be a step ahead of the other job seekers.
4. WATCH YOUR MOUTH
Even if the war does not come up directly during an interview, it is
still a prevalent issue and is on everyone's minds. That means that
during small talk before or after the interview, the topic may come
up.
Despite what anyone might tell you, the interview starts as soon as
you walk in the door. It does not end until you walk out the door.
So, if the war comes up during small talk:
- STAY NEUTRAL. Don't let politics become a part of the interview.
This does not mean that you need to lie; it just means you should
be diplomatic. Unlike the rest of your job search, this is not a
situation where you should be aggressive.
- MOVE ON. Don't dwell on the topic for too long. As long as you
are discussing the war, there is a chance you may slip up, say
something harsh, and get yourself into trouble.
CONCLUSION
The last thing a job search ever needs is more stress and more
obstacles. This does not mean that finding a job during wartime is
impossible, but it may be more difficult. If you can stay focused,
motivated and aggressive, you will have a significant edge over every
other job seeker. Hopefully, these ideas will help you stay on the
right track.
This article can be read online and shared with others directly at:
http://www.worktree.com/newsletter/job-searching-during-war-time.html
Sincerely,
Nathan Newberger,
Managing Editor
http://www.WorkTree.com
"Helping You Find More Jobs Faster"
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About The Author
Nathan Newberger is the job and career expert at http://www.WorkTree.com Nathan has over 10 years
experience in staffing and human resources. He has worked both as a recruiter and career counselor.
Mr. Newberger has been the Managing Editor at http://www.WorkTree.com for the past 5 years and his
articles have helped thousands of job seekers.
Re-Print Guidelines
Permission is granted to reproduce any of these articles but the article content CANNOT be altered and credit must be
given to the author and also an active link to http://www.WorkTree.com.
As a courtesy, please email Nathan at support@worktree.com if you decide to use any of his articles.
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