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The job market is very competitive for everyone regardless of age. However companies are hiring, they are looking for candidates that show ability to multitask, candidates that have updated technological skills and critical and creative thinkers. Most importantly, your ability to attract employment comes from within. If you believe in yourself and that you will get a job, you will.

You’ve may have seen me on the Steve Harvey show sharing helpful advice to women in their 20′s, 30′s, 40′s and 50′s on how to emotionally deal with finding a job in a competitive job market. On the show I give each lady insight on their situation and valuable tips to help them shift their perspective and improve their situation. Below I’m sharing my full advice (only a little can be shared online) But this information is good for anyone struggling in the job market.

Twenty-year-olds looking for work, often have only a little experience. Which is okay, because that is expected of you. Many times young people get advanced degrees hoping to gain a competitive edge. However, advanced degrees are common place now. Here’s the advice I shared with Daneille on the show…

To accomplish yourself academically only to find out that no employers are interested in what you have to offer is very damaging. To spend hours each day applying for jobs only to hear nothing back is very frustrating…

Here are a few things you can do to deal with the overwhelming feelings of rejections that may arise …

1. Get out socially and connect with others. You can host personal potluck with your friends, consider it free therapy. Each week or every other week you and a few of your friends or other people on campus that are dealing with the same thing can come together, bringing a piece of encouraging advice to the group night. For instance, someone could bring “5 companies looking for employees.”

2. Find a passion partner; someone who is encouraging and feels passionate about you finding a job. A lot of times when you are going through a stressful time in your life you just need someone that you can bounce things off of, someone who will act as a sounding board and will give you an encouraging pep talk. You and your passion partner can call each other once a week and do nothing but strictly talk each other up. This way you know you’re not alone and there is someone else rooting for you!

3. Post sticky notes all around you with positive affirmations on them. Rejection will take shots at your self worth. Seeing positive messages around you reminds you that you are a worthy candidate for a job. Make 5 sticky notes with empowering messages to yourself on them and post one on your bathroom mirror, nightstand, refrigerator, computer, etc. Every time you see the stickies say out loud what you have written. This will keep you emotionally feeling positive about your job search.
For example, you can write: “I am an irresistible hire!” “I get call backs every day from recruiters who are ready to hire me!”

Overall advice for people in their twenties: You’re just starting your career. Don’t shrink back, even though you may get “no’s” and doors don’t open immediately; stay focused on your true desires and what you really want. Don’t take “no” or not getting your ideal job as a sign that what you desire is not really for you. Instead, KEEP MOVING FORWARD, KEEP HONING YOUR SKILLS, KEEP GETTING BETTER AT WHAT YOU DO UNTIL YOUR BIG BREAK COMES. Big breaks always tend to come when you keep moving in the direction towards them.

Steve Harvey Show Guests, seek advice on how to get hired and emotionally deal with job hunting stress

To be unemployed desperately searching for work in your 30′s is disheartening, because you’re at the age where you may feel that you’re supposed to be established by now. However, sometimes a setback is a setup for a comeback. This is the perfect time to consider EVERY option of bringing in income. Maybe you’ve been thinking of working from home. You can start a business with little to no income. For Allastir on the Steve Harvey show, she’s a very talented beautiful lady who does have aspirations of starting a business. Here’s my full advice to her and other women in their 30′s.

When you’ve taken a few hits personally and professionally it can push you into disbelief that there is no way out of your situation…but there is! It’s starts with forming a new vision for yourself.

1. The first thing you should do is create a vision board for your future; what your ideal career look like.
Use magazines and search online for photos and words that represents your ideal life and career. Gather images that really mean something to you. Place this board where you can see it often and spend time meditating on it.

You can also open a free account on Pinterest to create an online vision board as well and keep it private if you want.

A vision board adds clarity and direction in your life, especially when everything seems like it’s going wrong. There’s nothing wrong with looking at the bright side when times are tough. Your vision board gives you a picture of what’s possible and helps you focus your mental energy towards your true desires.

Within the next week, create your vision board whether it’s a physical one or digital one on Pinterest. Visualize that you have a job. Everyday see and say “I’m not jobless, I’m in a new job!”

2. Cut yourself some slack. During this time, it’s important that you take care of yourself mentally as well as physically so that you don’t wear yourself down. Keep the faith and be optimistic. Take some time daily to read good positive books or watching positive movies. A lot of times, while engaging in this type of stress free activity you’ll discover answers to what your next move should be.

Overall advice for people in their thirties: Not having a job can bring feelings of shame— but don’t hide GET OUT! Continue to socialize. Don’t let unemployment weaken your networking efforts. Go to events and free social gatherings. INTERACTING WITH OTHERS CAN KEEP YOU LIVELY AND HOPEFUL AND BOOST YOUR SELF-CONFIDENCE. You have to be seen, in order to be considered. You may very well stumble upon your next Opportunity while you are out meeting new people.

Stacia weighing in on shifting your thinking to attract a job on The Steve Harvey Show with Steve Harvey and Stephen Viscusi

For people in their 40′s, Being out of work for so long can put you in a slump and lower your confidence. You can easily fall into a mundane unproductive routine while life is passing you by. The key is to stay active and progressive while searching for new employment. Here’s the full advice I have for Wanda and other 40-somethings looking to get back to work.

1. Consider doing volunteer work to help you feel accomplished and productive. Unemployment can wear on your self-esteem and make you feel useless. Volunteering helps you maintain a sense of value and purpose. And helping others is an instantaneous mood booster. Volunteering can also provide career experience, social support, and networking opportunities that can get you a job.

2. Meditate 15 minutes every morning. Take time to visualize your outcome of getting a call back and a yes. Rehearse over and over in your head, the phone ringing, the call being upbeat and positive and someone telling you that you have the job with salary you desire. When you keep getting faced with “no’s” you have to frame your future and see your desired outcome. Soon you’ll get a call and hear, “Yes, you have the job!”

3. Act “as if”: To keep yourself emotionally stable during a period of long-term unemployment, live each day as if you were already working. Create a schedule—humans thrive on routines.

Click here to get the Path 2 Purpose download and Discover how to profit from your passion.

Imagine if you were working from home: plan your day as such. For example get up early, make calls, send out resumes, respond to emails. Take a lunch break, then in the afternoon, follow-up on any leads. Right before dinner watch an inspiring show like Steve Harvey and conclude with listening to your positive audio programs or reading a good book. It’s important that you maintain a fairly consistent schedule. Often I’ve seen clients who create a schedule like they were working, soon after they got calls to work.

Overall advice for people in their forties: Self-esteem comes from self-improvements, true assessment and a lot of determination. This is a great time to pull out your positive self-help books and audio programs and immerse your self. What you think about, you will become. Half of the battle of getting a job is MINDSET. When you feed yourself daily with positive information, you will remain in the frame of mind that “I can do this! It’s going to work out okay for me, and I have what it takes!”

Looking for work when you are advanced age, the main thing you need is support to help you gain a sense of community and deal with loneliness you may be feeling on top of the stress of finding work.

For Pier and other women in their 50’s, presentation is everything. You want to look and feel your best when going into your interviews and be confident when you present yourself. Sometimes that means fixing any area that makes you feel uncomfortable. While you’re working on your health and weight loss, I encourage you to try shape wear like Spanx to give you a flattering figure. 

To achieve a brighter whiter smile in an inexpensive way, use Crest White Strips. These little things can help you get instant results and boost your self-confidence when you are out on interviews.

Here’s a few more things you can do.

1. Stay active and grounded by not isolating yourself.  Join a support group. Find a network with others who have similar situations and can encourage you during this time. A support group will give you the lift you need to continue on and other members of the group can offer ideas and suggestions for strategies that you hadn’t considered. 

2. Create goal cards for your health, employment and your family. It’s good to write down your goals. It will help to eliminate some of the anxiety to trying to get a job. Goals actually help people overcome depression as well because it gives you hope for your future.

3. Start a light exercise routine, such as walking to reduce stress and improve your health. Get outdoors, go for a walk or do some gardening—just do something that lifts your spirits. Adding a regular exercise boosts your self-confidence and helps you build up a stronger level of resilience against stress. When you start working on your mind and body, it will build your confidence and once you start feeling better about yourself, everything will open up for you. This will shift your negative emotions that can keep you from being proactive in your job hunt.

4. Laugh out loud. There are incredible health benefits in laughter. Humor relieves stress, causes you to think optimistically and boost your endorphins. If you are able to laugh at life’s frustrations, you can increase your immunity. Try once a week watching funny movies that lift your spirits. This will have a great overall impact on your health situation.

Overall advice for people in their fifties: Don’t give up.  At this age it’s easy to feel obsolete because of your advanced age.  But look on the bright side; you have a lot of lifestyle skills as well as work skills to offer. Make a list of all the positives of your advanced age. Remind yourself daily that your age is an asset, not a liability.

As a bonus for all the ladies on the show I commissioned one of my clients, Mark Hillery of Mark’s Resume Re-write to create, re-organize their resumes and make them much attractive to recruiters. Mark has a track record of helping clients who may not have had any calls, get SEVERAL calls and land jobs after using their new resume. If you are in need a of new resume contact MarksResumeRewrite.com

My parting thoughts for all job seekers:

Fill the void in your life by DOING WHAT YOU LOVE. Put away stress of unemployment for a moment and imagine the life you want, not focusing the employment, but on the life you REALLY want. What does it entail you doing? Find a no-cost or low-cost way to incorporate doing the activities that you are passionate about. There’s always great satisfaction in engaging in activities that you enjoy. Often people have discovered that when they start doing more of what they love, their passion leads them to making money freelancing or by starting their own business. Some of the most profitable and enjoyable businesses come out of a time of desperation.

Keep a positivity journal. In my research, I’ve found that people, who keep journals when they are unemployed, return to work faster than those who don’t. Make a list of all the things you like about yourself. Include your skills, accomplishments, successes, and work you’ve done that you are proud of. Revisit this list at night, before going to bed to remind yourself of your strengths and to activate good thoughts and sweet sleep.

What kind of help do you need from a life coach to help you

with your career or business right now?