Does your desperation show?

How would you like to be described by a potential employer after your job interview? Confident, experienced, determined?

Desperate”: that’s certainly not something you would like to hear.

When your job search process drags on and there’s still no offer on the horizon, you may start to unwillingly show signs of desperation to your prospective employers.

But how to stop worrying and not appear as if youneed a job too much”, you may ask. Here’s an approach:

Firstly, the main reason why you want to avoid looking desperate, especially at job interviews:

To quote Art Markman, “If you show desperation and frustration with the job search, employers will question your ability to handle stress after you’re hired”.

There are two approaches when setting any long-term goal:
1) you fully concentrate on the outcome
2) you focus on the small steps that will help you achieve that long-term goal

This piece of advice is particularly relevant when it comes to your job search!

Therefore be methodical and:

  • develop a job hunting strategy that suits your situation
  • work on your application documents
  • practice your interview skills
  • check for job openings and apply for positions that suit your experience
  • attend networking events / talk to friends and colleagues to find out about available options and the market situation

We’d also add:

  • identify appropriate headhunters
  • prepare a list of employers and contact the decision makers

Remember: after completing certain milestones in your job searching journey, you will experience small successes on your way to the big prize.

This was a summary of the Harvard Business Review article, “Stay Confident During Your Job Search by Focusing on the Process, Not the Outcome”.

Do you feel that your job search takes too long? Does your desperation show? Are you starting to lose confidence and would like to change that? Talk to a Career Angel! Just send an email to Bichl.Sandra (at) CareerAngels.eu or click here. The call of approx. 45 min is confidential, non-obligatory and free of charge.