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Like with anyone who has taken time off work to be a parent or who has been job seeking for a while, getting motivated can be hard especially if it’s been a few years since you were employed. Unfortunately we can't add mother or father to our resume as a full time position but there are a few things you can do if you’re feeling a bit rusty or out of the game.

One of the common mistakes that some jobseekers make is submitting only their resume without any cover letter addressing any criteria and personalising their application. Although this may be convenient for the applicant when wanting to apply for multiple positions, it can communicate to your potential employer a lack of interest and effort in taking the time to apply for the job.

Another common error I see is people who walk up to their potential employer looking for work, and when asked what position they are interested in, they reply anything available. Although this might convey you are easy going when it comes to work, it also can convey a lack of passion due to no specific job roles being requested. This also tells the employer you're not there because the job is special; you're just there because you need a job or the money.

In terms of motivation don't take job rejection personally, there are a lot of different factors why someone may not get the job, sometimes it just comes down to experience. Keep in mind at times jobs are advertised and it can be weeks if not months by the time they sift through all the applicants and are ready to conduct interviews. Just because you don't hear from an employer does not always mean they have rejected you, remember at times you’re also applying against internal applicants already in the company.
Other times, employers may decide to hold off on hiring and will have to reject all applicants for the time being. No one likes getting rejected but instead of letting it get you down, turn a negative into a positive. Although you may not get employed first off, the more applications you write and the more interviews you attend the further you build your confidence and skills in interviewing and job seeking.

When applying for jobs, you need to be realist too, just because you feel like you can run any business doesn't mean someone will give you a CEO position with no background experience. Dream big, but not too big. It is not impossible to score the job you want, but it can be time consuming. Think of job seeking as a journey and not so much as pass or fail scenario. Sooner or later you’re bound to bounce back into the workforce, just stay positive and follow the basics.

Nick Petrovic
Psychologist
www.mindprofile.com.au