How to Maintain Your True Self in a Job Search

How to Maintain Your True Self in a Job SearchHow to Maintain Your True Self in a Job SearchJob seekers frequently get told they must convince hiring managers that they are the perfect match for a position. While this advice does have significant merit, following it should not come at the expense of compromising ones own standards and integrity. Youll increase the odds of finding genuinely satisfying work when both you and the employer have an accurate assessment of your abilities and career goals. Consider these ways in which you can maintain your true self and leise land a great job.Here are three ways to maintain your true self during a job search1. Be honest.Simply put, dont lie. Youll immediately take yourself out of consideration if an employer finds out (or be shamefully dismissed later if you happen to get hired). Besides, one fudge typically leads to another to cover. Soon, youll stressfully be trying to keep up appearances rather than confidently demonstrating your strength s.Similarly, resist the urge to mislead an interviewer. If she points out a perceived flaw, redirect the conversation. Briefly acknowledge the shortcoming, and then focus on why your unique background and accomplishments still make you a worthy candidate. Dazzle with genuine, engaging stories rather than half-hearted false statements.2. Seek meaningful work.Because job seeking can be a slow process, some hunters start adopting an Ill take anything attitude. This way of thinking, however, can be dangerous to your psyche and your career. Signing on with a company that operates in a way you find distasteful will make it difficult to go to work each day, and you may be compromising your reputation with respectable employers. Likewise, settling for something you dislike will make you feel defeated- and it will show.Each job you take is a stepping stone to your next job, so if you take a job you hate, youre making yourself more qualified to get into another job you hate, says Aricia Shaff er, MSE ofWoman In the Moon Productions and author ofUnlocking the Secrets of the Successful Career Seeker.Additionally, when you get into a job for which you are poorly matched, you generally wind up working with people you dont like, whom you have little in common with, and with whom you feel uncomfortable.Everything about the job feels wrong. That can lead not only to job dissatisfaction, but also to more health issues, more sick days, poorer job performance and less pay.Patience is a job searching virtue. Know your strengths and goals, and stick to finding roles that maximize them.3. Listen to your gut.Finally, remember that you know yourself best. If something about a potential job doesnt feel right, it probably isnt. This might mean negotiating for better terms, ignoring the schlussverkauf pitches of a hiring manager to get to the core of the role, or walking away because you realize the fit isnt good.As Shaffer notes, To thine own self be true is such a great maxim, but it ca n take a lifetime to figure that out. I think were so tied up in the expectations others have of us, the shoulds that are out there.We need to untangle ourselves, and the best way to do that is to listen to our instincts. When you go in to speak with a potential employer, tune in to how YOU are feeling. We get so caught up in what are they thinking of us that we forget- we are interviewing them as wellReaders, how do you maintain your true self when job searching? Share your tips by leaving a comment