Each of us lives with our inner critic, that teeny tiny voice that sits in our subconscious and plants little seeds of doubt about whether we are really good enough. This little voice can become particularly loud when we are job seeking bringing us a dose of excessive negativity resulting in negative self-talk.
In a nutshell, negative self-talk is any inner dialogue that may be limiting your ability to believe in yourself and reach your potential. Negative self-talk can not only be exhausting but can hinder your success in finding a new role during your job search.
Here are seven ways you can ditch that negative self-talk during your job search.
1. Catch your critic
Notice when you're self-critical during your job search so you can address the issue. It is easy to identify when you are self-critical by simply observing words and phrases you use for yourself that you wouldn't say to a good friend or a child.
2. Set boundaries
While job seeking, if you struggle to cut negative self-talk out completely, put a limit on how much negativity can come from a situation. For example, only allow your mind to criticise for an hour in your day.
3. Stay grounded in reality
When job seeking, we are often feeling vulnerable, out of control and nervous about our competition. Our thoughts can become exaggerated, skewed and subject to our own bias. Keep in mind everyone has these feelings, and while they are real, the reality is not.
4. Reframe it.
Negative self-talk comes in varying extremes. From that feeling of "I'm not very good at this" to being overly critical "I can never do anything right", but it can also escalate into catastrophic thinking which is not based in any truth "I will never get another job".
To stop thinking negatively, you just think positively, right? Well, it isn't always that straight forward. For some, catching your train of thought in its’ tracks and changing the intensity in your language can help. "I can't do this…" soon becomes "This is challenging for me…"
Another way to reframe thoughts is to take the negative self-talk, acknowledge it and then turn it around.
I am not very good at this, but I am great at that.
Today I feel like I can't do anything right, but in reality, I know there is a lot I get right.
Today it feels like I will never get another job, but I know this feeling will pass and then I will be unstoppable.
When the self-talk becomes positive, our emotions are positive, and our behaviours will be positive too.
Trojan Recruitment’s Top Tips to Ditch Negative Self Talk
Job searching can feel challenging, but the last thing anyone needs is to become overwhelmed with negative self-talk. By making a conscious effort to ditch it, you may see a turnaround in your employment situation sooner than you think.
The Trojan Recruitment Group team are experts in labour-hire, temporary work and recruitment, so if you're serious about finding your next role, feel free to contact a trusted recruitment agency like Trojan. We can provide personal advice on how to positively position yourself for a future role. With a little help, you might find that next opportunity is closer than you think.
https://hdsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/13080.pdf
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-mindfulness-overcoming-negative-self-talk/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/francesbridges/2019/02/22/how-to-stop-negative-self-talk/#4511635a717a
