Zen and the Art of Finding Your Dream Job

First things first, do you live in the moment?  Many of you are probably nodding your head, thinking the affirmative.."Yes...I live in the moment".  But do you really?  When you are eating your dinner are you thinking about each bite you take?  Are you thinking about how good it tastes, how you (or someone) worked to prepare it, how thankful you are to be nourishing your body, or are you thinking about how yummy dessert will be, or all the clean up that will need to be done after dinner, or what you have to accomplish before bed?  Yeah, I thought so.  Most of us would like to think we live in the moment, but we really don't.  Our minds are always busy worrying about what we must accomplish or fantasizing about something we'd like to happen, or mulling over something that we recently experienced and wish we would've handled differently.  Unfortunately there are no mulligans in real life. 

So why is the "living in the moment" philosophy so important when you're seeking new employment?  Because your attitude and the energy you are projecting will have a huge impact on how successful you are at finding the job of your dreams.  Now I don't claim to be the Employment Guru, but I've learned a thing or two about how to get hired and who is more likely to get hired over the years. 

The more desperation a person gives off while in the interview process the less likely that person is to get hired.  But, it's not as simple as controlling yourself during the interview process... you literally have to change your thought patterns.  If you are constantly stressed about finding employment, you will be seeping stress from your pores, it will reflect in everything you do.  People that are wound too tight are difficult to be around.  Have you ever been around someone that is always stressed?  They're moving too fast, making mistakes, difficult to deal with, often short-tempered and rarely cheerful.... who wants to work with that?  You might be thinking..."If I could just find a job I wouldn't be so stressed anymore" but who will hire you when you're in that mental space of stress and despair?

To quote Dr. Wayne Dyer... "change your thoughts, change your life".  A few years ago I was unexpectedly laid off.  I had recently exhausted much of my savings moving across the country.  I was in a new town, only knew a few people and had never been without work in my life.
When these situations happen, your first instinct is to go into panic mode (what will I do? how will I manage? what if I don't find work? ...on and on goes the little voice in your head).  The best thing to do is take a deep breath, clear your mind and come up with a plan.  Build a good resume, prepare a spreadsheet and market yourself (see my other posts for more on these topics).  As you're going through your day to day process of finding employment take time to breathe, relax and be thankful for what you DO have.  Here is a short list of things most people can be thankful for:  being alive, family, friends, the ability to see, hear, read, feel, walk, talk, taste, a roof over your head, a soft place to sleep, a hot shower, a cold beverage etc.

When you make an effort to put yourself in a place of gratitude and relaxation you are opening yourself up to all the possibilities.  Each day as you are seeking employment visualize the ideal job, the position you most want to fill.  When your mind begins spinning into negativity... STOP! take a walk or a shower or watch a funny video... then re-group and get back at it.  People want to work with people that are upbeat, positive and exude thoughtfulness. 

Try to remember that what you put out into the world is what you will receive back. There is a reason for all the old sayings like "you reap what you sow".  Call it Karma or Kismet or whatever you will...your rate of success will increase with your rate of positivity.  It's ok to give yourself a break.  You've worked hard, you've gained valuable experience, be in a place of gratitude and go find that dream job!

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