Written by Joanne Sacco

Here’s How Positive Thinking Can Help You Secure Your Dream Role

It can be difficult to maintain a positive attitude when the world is mired in the
negativity created by COVID-19. But if you can nurture a positive mindset,
particularly when job hunting, you might discover it’s actually the thing that lands you your dream digital role.

How A Negative Mindset Reduces Your Chances Of Securing A Job

If you’ve been job hunting for some time and received multiple rejections, it’s natural to feel some negativity creep in. It may manifest as extreme interview nerves, or impact the way you view your future, believing you’ll never land that ideal job.
The problem with negative thinking is that it affects your actions. Without realising it, you may be presenting yourself to prospective employers in a way that greatly reduces your chances of success. No employer wants to hire an applicant who isn’t confident in their skillset, experience or ability.
Still not sure what a big dose of optimism can do for your job search? Then consider these four important reasons why it’s vital to hold tight to a positive perspective.

Positive Thinking – You Really Are What You Think

A recent report surveying over 14,000 young Australians found those who were optimistic about finding employment secured full time work two months faster than those who didn’t.
This comes as no surprise when you consider your mind is directly related to your body. A negative mindset releases stress hormones that make you feel anxious. But a positive one releases feel-good hormones that help you feel happy and confident. It’s easy to see which one is best to have during a job interview!
Being optimistic not only increases your confidence level, but that of your prospective employer too. If you can project the vibe ‘I can do your job and do it really well’, the employer will feel confident in making their decision to choose you above others.
One way to get on top of negative thoughts is to simply pay closer attention to them. Everyone has a self-critical voice in their heads, so the next time it calls you out, challenge the thought. Is it really true? You’ll likely find it isn’t, and you have the opportunity to replace it with something positive.

Positive Thinking – Soothe Those Interview Nerves

Practising putting yourself in a positive mindset can also help allay the fears a negative mindset plants.
One technique is to use visualisation in the lead up to a job interview (if this sounds like pop psychology to you, consider its use by Olympians here). Sit in a quiet place and re-read the job description. Then try to visualise yourself actually working in the role, performing daily tasks and achieving project outcomes. Try to feel the joy of that success.
After practising this visualisation multiple times over the course of a week or so, you’ll find it’s much easier to believe it. When it comes time for the interview, it should feel quite natural to talk about what you will do to succeed in the role, allowing those nerves to take a backseat.

Positive Thinking – Find New Perspectives

So you’re faced with another rejection. While it’s tough, you can still find something positive in the negative. It comes down to what you’re willing to learn from the situation.
The first step in this process is having the courage to ask the employer why they chose to go another way. Let them know you’d appreciate the constructive feedback to help you improve.
The next step is to implement those insights. What can you work on to better prepare yourself for the next interview and showcase your best self?
Another positive thinking technique is to reframe the rejection. Let yourself first feel the disappointment, but then try to make peace with the fact that perhaps this job really wasn’t your best fit. Be confident that this rejection happened because your ideal role is still out there waiting for you.

Let Us Help You

As you can see, it’s clear that developing the habit of a positive mindset is paramount in a successful job search. As the great man Henry Ford puts it “Whether you think you can or think you can’t — you’re right.”
If you’d like some more assistance in your job hunt, be it interview tips, a resume re-jig or finding out about new opportunities, please get in touch with of our expert recruitment consultants. We’d love to help.

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