Winter Wyman coaches job seekers on how to stay positive during a job search.

1. Staying Positive
During Your Job
Search

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Introduction
It seems that lately every time we read the paper, turn on the
TV or radio, or go online, there is a story on rising
unemployment figures, sinking economic projections or
mass layoffs.
It is hard to escape the impact this constant barrage of
negative news can have on a job seeker. Finding a job, not
to mention the right job, is challenging under the best
conditions, but even more so given today’s economic
climate.
So without disconnecting from society – or at least the media
– are there ways for a job seeker to stay positive during a
search? Yes! Dave Sanford, Winter, Wyman's Executive
Vice President of Business Development, shares how.
This presentation by Dave Sanford, Winter, Wyman’s EVP of Business Development,
originally appeared as an article on Boston.com and has been re-used here with the
publisher’s permission.

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Top ten tips
1. Attitude is within your control
2. Companies are still hiring
3. Keep things in perspective
4. Momentum is your friend
5. Consider contract or temp work
6. Celebrate big and small wins
7. Find ways to de-stress
8. Don’t become obsessed with e-mail or voice mail
9. Hang out with your friends
10. Remember you’re not alone

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1. Attitude is within your control
• Whether learning of a job loss or missing out on an offer,
you can’t force hiring decisions to go your way. But you
can control your reaction to the circumstances.
• Allow yourself that healthy moment of disappointment and
then pick yourself up and dust yourself off. Find a glimmer
of hope, an ironic moment or something to laugh about and
go with it. This will help you move on a lot more quickly,
which is imperative to your search.

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2. Companies are still hiring
• Just think – even with unemployment at 8% that means
92% of the workforce is still employed and no matter the
economic climate, hiring is always taking place.
• People leave their jobs willingly every day to change roles,
retire, move, raise families, return to school, start their
own ventures or volunteer. Each one of these
circumstances leaves an opening and is far more common
than a business adding to staff due to a growth spurt or
new product launch.

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3. Keep things in perspective
• While your situation may seem overwhelming, take a step
back and understand the reality of your circumstances.
• Find the positives in your life and appreciate that you have
good health or a loving partner or great kids.
• Unemployment can be a blow to our egos and finances, but
it can also be a time to realize that in general, things are
pretty good in our lives compared to others who are less
fortunate.

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4. Momentum is your friend
• Don’t just sit there, do something! When our routine is
shaken up, we often let lackadaisical habits slip in.
• Momentum in a job search can often be assisted by getting
involved in other activities.
• Think about helping out at your kids’ school, volunteering
at a local shelter or taking a class.
• The more you do, the better you will feel and the more
people you will meet which will ultimately better your
chance of success.

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5. Consider contract or temp work
• Working in a contract assignment might not be your long-
term goal, but it does have many benefits, including
generating income and remaining in the workforce.
• Additionally, your skills will be kept up-to-date – or you
might learn some new ones – and you will have the
opportunity to network and meet people who can help
advance your job search.
• Many times, taking a contract position at a company will
lead to another assignment or permanent position within
that same company.

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6. Celebrate big and small wins
• As part of your job search, you will certainly have set goals
for yourself – the number of networking meetings you will
have each week…how many resumes you will send out per
day…the hours you will dedicate to researching
opportunities.
• Feel good about completing your objectives and find ways
to celebrate your accomplishments. Go to Starbucks and
treat yourself to a cappuccino, buy yourself a bouquet of
tulips, or go hit a bucket of golf balls – congratulate
yourself on meeting your goals, but don’t lose momentum!

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7. Find ways to de-stress
• Although job searching is a full-time job, nothing is more
important during your day than de-stressing.
• Stress can be palpable and you don’t want to present
yourself to prospective employers or networking contacts
as someone who will crack under pressure.
• So, whether it’s a morning yoga class or walking around the
block, find what works for you and incorporate it into your
daily routine.

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8. Don’t become obsessed
• We’ve all done it – sent an email (or in a job seeker’s case,
multiple resumes in response to postings found online) and
then compulsively checked our inbox over and over to see
if we have mail. The same thing happens with voice mail,
IMs and text messages.
• There is no doubt that technology allows us to be ultra-
connected, but it also can be frustrating when the level of
responsiveness is not equal.
• The reality is you won’t hear from every company you
submit your resume to, so don’t become obsessed with
continual checking.
• Access your voice mail and email a few times a day – and
then let it go.

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9. Hang out with your friends
• This is not the time to shy away from your family and social
circle or be embarrassed about your situation. During hard
times, we should run toward our support systems and not
away from them.
• People who care about you will love you for the reasons
they always have – and chances are that wasn’t because of
your job. Having people around you that care will build
your confidence and make you feel successful.

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10. Remember you’re not alone
• While it might mean there is more competition for each job
opening, knowing that you aren’t alone in your plight
should bring you some comfort.
• Seek out in-person and online networking and support
groups to share your frustrations, successes and even
leads.
• The more people you talk to, the more doors that will be
opened and the more opportunities for you to be hopeful
and successful.

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About Winter, Wyman
• Established in 1972
• An industry leader and one of the largest and most
recognized staffing firms in the Northeast
• Service the New England and Metropolitan New York
job markets with national technology contracting
capabilities
• Specialize in recruiting permanent, contract and
contract-to-permanent professionals
• Specialty areas include:
– Accounting & Finance
– Creative & Digital Technology
– Human Resources
– Information Technology
– Investments & Financial Services
– Software Engineering

15. Thank you for joining us.
Visit the “Job Seeker” section of
www.winterwyman.com
for additional job search resources.