By CAL, Curmudgeon at Large

This month’s #careercollective question was How To Overcome the Negativity of a Job Search.  Evidently, hunting for a job turns out to be a tough, stressful and hard job in and of itself.  Who knew?  Here are some very bright folks in the industry and how they can help you.  My own post is at the end.  Thanks as always to Miriam and Jacqui for organizing this effort.

@MartinBuckland, Job Search Made Positive

@GayleHoward, Job Search: When It All Turns Sour

@chandlee, Strategy for Getting “Unstuck” and Feeling Better: Watch Lemonade

@heathermundell, Help for the Job Search Blues

@heatherhuhman, 10 Ways to Turn You Job Search Frown Upside-Down

@KCCareerCoach, You Can Beat the Job Search Blues: 5 + 3 Tips to Get Re-Energized

@WalterAkana, Light at the End of the Tunnel

@resumeservice, Don’t Sweat the Job Search

@careersherpa, Mind Over Matter: Moving Your Stalled Search Forward

@WorkWithIllness, Finding Opportunity in Quicksand

@KatCareerGal, Job-Hunting in a Weak Job Market: 5 Strategies for Staying Upbeat (and Improving Your Chances of Success)

@ErinKennedyCPRW, Dancing in the Rain–Kicking the Job Search Blues

@keppie_careers, What do do when you are discouraged with your job search

@DawnBugni, It’s the little things

@ValueIntoWords, Restoring Your Joy in Job Search

@jobhuntorg, Just SO VERY Discouraged

@barbarasafani Making Job Search Fun (Yeah, That’s Right!)

@expatcoachmegan Getting to the source of the problem.

@LaurieBerenson, Ways to Keep Your Glass Half Full:

@JobHuntOrg, Just SO VERY Discouraged,


By CAL, Curmudgeon at Large

How to Overcome the Negativity of a Job Search

Let me hold your hand.  Not.

Let me tell you it will all work out for you. Not.

Let me share some positive stories with you.  Not.

Let me teach you everything that’s wrong about you. Not.

Let me do the work for you.  Not.

Let me go back and help you re learn math and English.  Not.

Let me go back and show you how to pick employers.  Not.

Let me agree with you about how this all sucks.  Not.

Let me buy you coffee when you call me for ‘networking.’  Not.

Let me sort out your resume, overlook the typos and the coffee stain, and figure out exactly how and what it is you are good at doing.  Not.

Let me tap you on the shoulder and give you more salary than what you can do for me.  Not.

Let me put up with your whining and complaining when you worked here before.  Not.

Here is the deal.

Know that grade school trick your momma taught you, that when you point out someone else’s flaws to look at your hand and notice how three of your fingers are pointing back at you.

You can feel all negative.  Depressed even.  But, at the end of the day, it IS all about you.  You might have to move.  Might have to figure out a new career.  Work for less.  Sell Amway.

But others have done it with far, far less than what you most likely have.  (just saying, cuz you are reading this.)

Go have some fun.  Make some waves.  Try harder.

Therein lies today’s PUMP UP speech.

(And HEY, it could be worse.  You could be that Dutch Skater’s coach who told him to switch lanes, losing him the gold medal.)