Habits of Successful Jobseekers
Everyone at one point has tried to get a job. A lot of people don’t get the jobs they seek. Then, some always get what they want- these are the successful job seekers. Getting the job you crave does not always happen by chance. Simply put, successful job seekers owe their good fortune to certain winning habits. Most successful job seekers have similar habits. These are simple things ordinary people do regularly that make them extraordinary.
In this post, we will explore the various habits successful job seekers possess. Firstly, let us examine what habits truly are and the possibilities they bring.
What is a habit?
According to Wikipedia, habits are “routines of behavior that are repeated regularly and tend to occur naturally.” The Macmillan dictionary defines habits in simpler terms as “something that you do often or regularly, often without thinking about it.” They are all saying the same thing: when do something many times until you start doing them without even realizing it, it has become a habit. A habit can go both ways, positive or negative. As a job seeker in a fiercely competitive job market, you need to form habits that will bring you success.
Habit is not the same thing as personality
Although similar, habits are different from personalities. While your personality comes naturally, habits are formed through repetition. Personalities are mannerisms and ways of thinking humans exhibit without practicing or trying to be intentional. In many cases, they are hereditary. The way we talk, walk, communicate and our preferences are examples of traits we are born with or inherited. However, a habit is an act you pick up and practice whether consciously or unconsciously. With time, they become part of you so much that they can be mistaken for traits. Your habits form part of your character.
Major habits of successful jobseekers
Rising early.
This is a good example of how habits are different from personalities. It is not a quality you are born with. Waking before sunrise does not come naturally to most. However, there are many mental and physical health benefits of waking up early. Firstly, it gives you more time to prepare for the new day. The air is fresher and cooler early in the morning since most people are still asleep. Also, waking early increases your chances of being punctual. Forming this habit may not be easy but it is worth it.
Persistence.
Everyone loves to have a never-say-die attitude. Yet, not everyone makes it a habit. Persistence is a quality you can imbibe by making a habit of it. To be persistent means never stop trying to achieve something until you find success. this comes in handy when you are job hunting because there will be several setbacks along the way. You can form this habit by constantly challenging yourself on small difficult tasks like quizzes or puzzles. Never settle until you win.
Exercising.
There are many benefits of exercising that transcend physical fitness. Exercising is vital to mental fitness as well. Working out helps to build body and brain muscles. To get the job you desire, you need to be in the best shape, especially mentally. Making exercise a habit is advantageous. Start small. Make sure that a day does not go by without spending a few minutes on the treadmill. Do this every day and you will not need a reminder after a few weeks.
Learn teamwork.
Being a successful job seeker does not end when you finally get the job. The habits you form will become part of you and form part of your success professionally. Teamwork is all about working together with colleagues and supporting them. Also, it is about allowing those around you to shine. Consciously work on this habit until it becomes part of you. look for opportunities to work with people and practice teamwork until it becomes part of you.
News and research.
Being up to date with current affairs is an invaluable quality. Every job seeker and those who currently have jobs need this quality. It is one of the habits that can easily be formed through consistency and discipline. Doing research or reading the news is not the most fun thing to do. however, it equips you with information and knowledge, which are powerful weapons in our day. Try reading the news before you check your social media notifications daily. That’s a start.
Troubleshooting.
Every employer wants problem-solvers in their organization. The primary reason for hiring any job seeker is to proffer solutions to problems. having a knack for solving problems and troubleshooting is vital. Forming this habit comes with being optimistic. Where others see a problem, you see an opportunity. What others would not touch with a 10-foot pole, you grab with both hands. Forming this habit is not difficult. Look forward to the joy of performing a job well and it would motivate you.
Being safety and security conscious.
Companies spend a lot on safety and security. From safety training to constantly upgrading safety equipment, companies are always keeping up with safety practices. By being safety conscious and conservative, you already have what all businesses want. Safety goes hand-in-hand with being conservative and eco-friendly. You can start practicing by making sure you keep confidential documents and possessions locked safely. Also, simple habits like always turning off the lights when you leave a room come in handy.
Appetite for learning.
This habit exceeds job-seeking. There are certain things you need to learn even before starting apply for jobs. Anyone eager to learn will most likely be leading their contemporaries in no distant time. Prospective employers love to see a desire to learn and improve in jobseekers. It shows that they are industrious, ambitious, and their minds are in the right place. Having an appetite for learning involves being interested in acquiring knowledge. It is a true desire to know a bit more about something. Some of the signs are listening, asking relevant questions, and practicing what you learned.
Remembering important information.
Information is the most powerful tool in the digital age. the whole world revolves around sending, receiving, storing, and retrieving lost information. Being able to remember important information is an invaluable trait. You can make a habit out of it. From important company data, sales report job position requirements, to people’s names, remembering little information matters. The best way to remember information is to keep records. Fortunately, virtually every electronic or mobile device can store information. Make it a habit of taking notes, taking screenshots, recording minutes of meetings, printing sales records, etc., and it will bring you success.
Punctuality.
Punctuality is the soul of business for a reason. It sets the tone and shows that you take the day’s business seriously. Being punctual takes practice and self-discipline. Punctuality is a difficult habit to form for many people. This is because a lot of people have made a habit of tardiness already which unfortunately is the opposite of punctuality. To make punctuality a habit, you must first rid yourself of every ounce of tardiness in you. Punctuality is a major way to make a good first impression as a job seeker. It builds your confidence and gives you additional time to prepare for the new task.
Courtesy.
Courtesy is a virtue that can become a habit if you work on it. it is easy to accommodate courteous people. Being a people person makes it easier to be courteous. This might be tricky for introverts but it is a habit you can learn. Start by doing simple things to make people feel more comfortable around you. Offer to help people do little things that will not take much of your time. You need this while you are still job hunting and when you land the job as well.
Multitasking.
Nowadays, a job description contains multiple tasks and responsibilities. You will be expected to handle multiple tasks effectively, including some that are not totally related to your discipline. Thus, you must cultivate the habit of multitasking. For some people, focusing on one task at a time is how they work at their best. While this is ideal, multitasking is essential in today’s fast-paced world. All you need to do is perform multiple tasks simultaneously and effectively. Practice this in your spare time. Become the man or woman who can respond to emails and balance the books with no problems.
Reading.
One of the best ways to remain informed while you increase your mental capacity is by reading. Reading is how you would know when a job opportunity arrives in the first place. For those who do not like reading, it can be boring. However, reading is how information is received and internalized. Making reading a habit takes time and also a high level of self-discipline especially in this digital age of unlimited distractions. Take baby steps. Start with a page or two a day and increase the pages as you get more comfortable with reading
Being organized.
Imagine being called for a job interview and you don’t know where you kept your resume. Another habit that is hard to form is being organized. Just like other beneficial habits, there is a big barrier to forming this habit. Many people are already disorderly, which is the opposite of what they need to be. Disorderliness starts from a young age. This means that you would be trying to get rid of a habit you have probably imbibed since childhood.
Being organized is helpful in that it helps you to keep track of important details and activities. To form the habit of orderliness, start by doing little tasks like tidying up your room. In addition, keeping your belongings in separate compartments is also another big step in the right direction.
Understand habits
Human behavior is the foundation for building habits. Whatever you are inclined to will influence the things you do regularly. Whether by compulsion or preference, humans tend to do routine tasks regularly until they start doing them unconsciously. In fact, some people get traumatized whenever they cannot indulge in their habits. This is because the brain is already trained to be specially activated for certain periods. Thus, when the time comes and you cannot perform such tasks, you become at least slightly uneasy.
Forming a habit takes practice. For what interests you, making a habit out of it would be easy. However, what does not interest you would take time, dedication, and lots of practice to become a habit.
Shift your focus to the right things
Habits are like superpowers if your mind is in the right place. To harness the power of your habits, shift your focus to what truly matters. Your goals. As a job seeker, you need to focus more on what keeps you informed and adds value to you. Forming healthy, winning habits would be difficult if your old habits revolve around entertainment and gaming, for instance. By shifting your focus on mental, physical, and all-around positive exercises, you will end up performing them regularly. For example, if you tried working out, you would be obliged to hydrate more often, wake up early, eat healthy foods, etc. these routines will sharpen your mind and body. Before you know it, you would have picked up winning habits.
Get rid of old habits.
Truth be told, your habit greatly impacts your fortunes in the labor market. Thus, one of the major reasons for not having success all this time in trying to get a good job is down to your habits. If you had formed winning habits, there is a big chance that you would be successful by now. This means that your current or old habits have not been doing you much good. You need to get rid of old habits.
Now, you are ready to form new ones.
Conclusion.
A habit is what you do so often that you can almost do them in your sleep. Successful job seekers throughout the years have imbibed certain habits that set them up for success. Fortunately, habits are formed. Thus, you can consciously work on forming winning habits that will make you successful in the labor market. Start working on it today and let us know in the comments section how it has worked out for you.