Edition 4: "Trust me on this. I'm usually the person you negotiate with."

When I started my job search, I felt overwhelmed by all the advice and tips. I think it’s also because I know the underlying truth that this isn’t an exact science and that there’s no simple 3 step guide that will work for everyone.

So I found myself gravitating towards seeing what other recently laid off recruiters were doing and learning more about their approach when it came to the job search.?

I think that’s why when my former colleague & friend, Jillian Hind , posted about her “joy-forward” mindset, it really resonated with me. Here’s what she wrote:

As I approach this adventure, I’m reminded of what I learned last year: mental health and happiness is the foundation of doing my best work.

Knowing this, I want to handle this situation with a joy-forward approach. For my friends on this adventure with me, I invite you to do the same:

1) Let yourself feel all the feelings. Name them. It’s easier to take control of things you can describe. You’ll need this later.

2) Get out of your head and into your body. Run. Lift. Stretch. Your job interviews will go much better when you have more energy & connection to self.

3) Gratitude as a skill, not just a feeling. Make it an action by listing 3 things each night you appreciate. Perspective can be a habit, and it’s easy to fall into a negative cycle when something like this happens. Again, your interviews (and negotiation) will go much better when you come from a perspective of abundance, and don’t have a scarcity mindset. Trust me on this. I’m usually the person you negotiate with.

4) Ground yourself. When you feel like reality is cloudy… touch the dirt. Mulch your yard. Spring is only 15 days away and you have time to garden now.

5) It’s not personal, it’s business. If your job search isn’t going well, adjust your strategy - and remember, it’s the strategy, not YOU. Start with a vision, a timeline, a budget, and small measurable goals. Having a plan always helps me feel safer.

6) Finally, remember 6 degrees of separation. If you don’t know the hiring manager, I bet you know someone who does. My peers at GitLab have been so involved in my job search - connecting me to decision-makers, referrals, and making recommendations. LinkedIn connects the world’s professionals, but it starts with you.

Check out the videos below as Jill and I dive deeper into what a “joy-forward” mindset means to her and some strategies that helped her navigate through uncertainty:

Intro + Learning how to ground yourself:

On this being more than a job search:

How to negotiate from a place of abundance:

The importance of gratitude (and why Jeremy Guyton is the worst):

Here are a few great resources I've come across to help get started:

• Layoff Care Package - This resource created by AJ Eckstein ?? is the most comprehensive guide I've seen for the job search. It's a step-by-step guide and includes everything from how to apply for unemployment to negotiating offers. Highly recommend following subscribing to his newsletter as well!
• Austin Belcak - I started following Austin after seeing his great content and practical advice on networking, researching companies, and creative ways to find jobs.
• Teal - I saw a few people post about this free job tracker tool called Teal. I have yet to try it out, but it looks like a great way to organize your job search and keep notes. Let me know if you've tried it or found a better way to track job apps.

Next edition, we'll be discussing the importance of taking care of your mental and physical health!

I know I said that it was hard for me to ask for help, but after some reflecting, I realized that I've never really done anything by myself. That I've always had the help of friends and family when it came to... well... just about everything. Raising the kids. Getting through school. Moving up in my career.

So that's what I'll be writing down in my gratitude journal later today. Like Jill said, perspective is a habit. And I'm going to work on getting in the habit of focusing on grounding myself in the positive and seeing the opportunity in the obstacles.