It’s Thanksgiving week again! Time to write down all of those things you are thankful for and try your best to not cross family off the list. It’s one of those times when it is okay to take a break from applying to jobs because the people reading your applications are either not working this week or will be dribbling gravy all over it.
So take this time to reflect on the daunting endeavor that is finding a new job and think about the good things that come from it. The hard times far outweigh the good times in most cases, but it’s time to cheer up!. Drop the phone and pass the gravy because here’s a list of five things to be thankful for in your job search:
Online Resources
Can you imagine what searching for a job must have been like 50 years ago? You’d have to pore over hundreds of classifieds in the daily paper, walk over to your town hall to check for daily postings or call every company in town just to ask if they had any job openings. But today, you can be grateful for all of the wonderful sites (like Spark Hire) that sort jobs based on keywords, make your resume available to thousands of recruiters, and allow you to interview face-to-face from your own home a la video interviews.
Phone Calls
Like waiting for a package from eBay, sometimes you’re just more excited about getting something than what that something actually is. Same with phone calls from potential employers. The excitement of getting a phone call saying you got the job or even that you’re wanted for an interview is a great rush. You turn off the music, close the drapes, shut your door, and either sit down or walk around the room with posture that would make a ballerina jealous. Every phone call could be the one when you’re waiting, and that makes waiting exciting.
Moral Support
Thank your friends and family for supporting you and picking you up every time you got the “we were impressed with your background and qualifications, but decided to go with a candidate that better suits our needs at this time” email. Thank the best friend who is right down in the gutters with you, or the mother who cooks your favorite dinner after a bad day. Even the tough as nails war-vet dad who doesn’t know the meaning of ‘softening the blow’ but makes you stronger because of it.
Hope
It’s what gets you up in the morning and online looking for the next job when every other one has turned you down. That inextinguishable human emotion that allows us to accomplish everything anyone has ever said couldn’t be done. If no one had any hope, nothing would ever get done, and for that be grateful for whatever small shred of it you have left. It is your north star and it will see you straight.
Holidays
Be grateful for them. Looking for a job is a full-time responsibility and you deserve a break too. The fact that those who are looking over resumes are on vacation means that you can be on vacation too and should therefore take it easy. Forget about it for a little while- it can be exhausting at times and this is one of the only excuses you can make that will justify taking a day off. So enjoy this one and have as much food as you can get your hands on!
What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? Are you taking a break from your job search? Share with us in the comments section below!
IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by antonellomusina
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