Journaling can be a great way to help grow your career by connecting your thoughts with actions. Most changes in life – especially the ones unexpected such as a job loss – can clutter your mind with decisions, and putting your thoughts down on paper can be a big breakthrough.
If you find yourself having a difficult time landing a new job you should consider journaling as an answer.
A career change is an emotional experience and it can be very challenging to sell your abilities to a potential employer when your thoughts are not clear on what you want to do next. Even though job searching is built on techniques and strategies, you can’t discount the emotional aspects of finding employment.
In a study, job seekers who wrote about their emotions in losing their jobs were more likely to find new positions than those who didn’t write about their feelings. The study focused on a group of professionals who had been laid off and were invited to participate in a project that involved writing for just 20 minutes a day for five days.
According to the study, in the first three months following the writing week, 25 percent of the job candidates who wrote consistently in their journal about their emotions landed a job, compared to only 5 percent of the job candidates who chose to not to write or just listed their job search activities. The results are interesting and support the idea that emotions influence your job search and acknowledging them can lift your spirits.
Journaling doesn’t have to be complicated, however it does require some effort in order to make it worth your time. When you acknowledge your thoughts on paper you gain clarity and it helps you communicate your ideas to others, specially when networking with others.
One of the areas that create stress for job candidates is how to convey their interests and why it makes sense for an employer to hire them. While deep down they know the answers, communicating them to a potential employer can be challenging. Journaling helps clear your head and gives you ample time to connect your thoughts with words such as your personal branding statement.
You can start journaling by simply noting your thoughts in a free flowing brainstorming way or you can be more structured; either way, writing helps you become more creative which leads to better problem solving skills.
Journaling is a great tool for career growth in figuring out what’s wrong with your job as well as what’s right, start by writing down your thoughts daily before work or after. Over time you will see themes emerge that give you great insights as to what you are missing in your career.
Working for a tough boss can put a dent in your self-esteem as well as the extra stress of putting up a strong front when you want to run. Journaling your thoughts help you develop a coping style and give you more awareness of toxic encounters.
Journaling is one of the best career exercises you can do to improve your chances of landing a great job and learning about yourself.
How has journaling helped your career? In what ways did it help you cope with a job loss?
