Stoicism is an ancient school of Hellenistic philosophy that teaches us to focus on virtue, reason, and living in harmony with our circumstances. It encourages us to concentrate on what's within our control—our thoughts and actions—while accepting what we can't change, such as being ghosted. Applying Stoic principles to your job search will give you the mental resilience needed to navigate today's fiercely competitive job market and improve your chances of hearing "You're hired!" sooner.
1. Focus on What You Can Control
By focusing on what you can control and influence, you're taking the reins of your job search. You can't control the job market, the number of applicants, or the whims of hiring managers. As Seneca said, "We suffer more in imagination than in reality."
Your energy goes where you focus, so focus on what you can control:
- Your resume
- Your LinkedIn profile and activity
- Your networking efforts
- Your digital footprint
- Your interview preparation
Whenever you apply for a job and don't hear back, don't dwell on it. More importantly, don't post on LinkedIn a rant about employers not knowing how to hire. Anti-employer posts are public displays that potential employers will read, showing that you can't control your emotions.
2. Accept What You Cannot
Rejection is an unavoidable part of job searching. Accept that many factors influencing a hiring decision are beyond your control, such as how an employer structures their hiring process, rude behaviour, interviewers who are indifferent, and that there's always someone younger, more skilled, and hungrier than you. Then there's the "I'm a victim of [whatever]!" narrative job seekers often use, which hopefully you aren't participating in.
Accepting what you can't control isn't a sign of weakness, but a wise choice that frees up crucial mental space to focus on your job search. Not getting the job, being ghosted, not receiving feedback, and other job search irritations aren't gross injustices as many would have you believe.
3. View Adversity as an Opportunity for Growth
When it comes to job searching, you must overcome—either positively or negatively, the choice is yours—the many 'you can't win them all' challenges you'll inevitably have to deal with.
Instead of expressing your frustrations publicly, damaging your job search, think of these setbacks as learning opportunities. Ask yourself, "What could I have done better?" Perhaps, when networking, you should try offering value first (TIP: When you meet someone for the first time, ask yourself, "How can I help this person?") or focus on quantifying your achievements on your resume and LinkedIn profile. Viewing adversity as a growth opportunity is key to keeping your job search moving forward.
4. Live Virtuously
A virtuous job search approach fosters the crucial element for hiring a specific candidate: trust.
Desperation has led many job seekers to exaggerate and lie on their resumes, hence making honesty and integrity a competitive advantage, which is a sad commentary on our times. As the number of 'bad actors' populating the job market rises, being transparent about your experience and skills sets you apart, since candidates who are transparent are becoming increasingly rare.
5.Practice Gratitude
Your mindset is essential for making your job search more effective and sustainable, rather than scattered and hopeless. It's easy to be overwhelmed by negativity, especially from other frustrated job seekers. Practicing gratitude shifts your focus to the positive aspects of your job search journey, and establishing the faith that, ultimately, you'll find yourself in a better place, as I've experienced several times.
A daily practice that'll keep you motivated and resilient is maintaining a gratitude journal. Every morning, write down what you're thankful for, whether it's supportive family and friends, the recruiter who accepted your LinkedIn connection invite, a new skill you've learned, being healthy, having tomatoes in your garden, or any of the countless other reasons to be grateful for being alive and having another day to experience life.
6. Embrace the Present Moment
You can't control the past (what happened) or the future (what will happen). While planning is important, obsessing over what's next distracts you from the present, which is within your control. Embracing the moment means fully engaging with your current tasks, whether it's networking, applying for jobs, or preparing for an interview. Focus entirely on the task at hand and trust that the results will follow.
7. Cultivate Wisdom
Cultivating wisdom involves the ability to discern what's truly important in life, which, as a former chaser of the almighty dollar, I can tell you isn't money. Practically every job seeker I speak with talks about getting paid what they're worth, hence they're chasing their "supposed" worth, which is highly subjective and entirely at the employer's discretion. From experience, chasing happiness is much easier and more rewarding than chasing after your "supposed" worth.
8. Treat Others with Kindness
In a world that often feels self-centred, showing kindness sets you apart. Never mimic the bad behaviour of others and childishly justify your behaviour with "Well, if they can act this way, why can't I?"
The Golden Rule—treating others as you want to be treated—applies throughout your job search and in all areas of life.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned corporate veteran, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. Send Nick your job search questions to [email protected].
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