Marvin Montgomery has presented sales training and customer service workshops for over 20 years, and those who have attended refer to his uplifting, informative presentations as “Getting Marvinized.” Marvin presented methods of improving your attitude while you are in transition between jobs. Unemployment is not exciting, but searching for a better position should be. An inadequate approach may be holding you back.
Know Your Situation, Not Your Secret
You may have lost your job, but that doesn’t mean you should be ashamed or keep it a secret. You are transitioning out of your old job and into a new one that you may even like more. Don’t forget who is in charge of deciding where you will work next. Try to embrace the fact that you have the opportunity to choose to work closer, get better hours, more vacation time, or even better compensation. You have the experience, education, and skills that companies need. Step up your networking game and reach out to friends or family; you never know where a new opportunity may appear.
The Five P’s
Marvin believes that you will have no trouble landing a job if you live by the five Ps. Preparation, Practice, Provides, Peek, Performance. Begin by preparing yourself for interviews, networking events, or any situation that requires practice. Prepare questions you want to ask and the answers for items you may be asked. Doing so, you will think less of what you “could” have said. Practice your questions delivery, handshake, eye contact, or even your posture. Being well prepared and practicing for situations that could get you the job will provide peak performance. 
Job Search Perspective
Did you know that 80% of the decisions we make are driven by emotion? Would you say burning your “lucky” Browns jersey after a 0-16 season a well-thought-out plan? Marvin believes that life is 10% what happens to a person and 90% of how we react to it. Marvin shared a funny story with us about his neighbor, who seems to be always complaining about something. When Marvin and his neighbor crossed paths while checking their mail on a rainy day, the neighbor said: “Isn’t this weather terrible?” Marvin replied, “Well, you don’t have to shovel rain.” Keeping a positive attitude about life will impact how life treats you.
Take A Selfie
No, this isn’t the kind of selfie you take with a “selfie stick” that doubles as a lightning rod. The selfie is what’s inside you, a job seeker hungry for work. Selfies like self-discipline, self-confidence, and self-desire can show where your job search is lacking. First, ask yourself, are you disciplined enough? Do you do what you’re supposed to when you are supposed to? Without good self-discipline, you will not efficiently complete tasks or even complete them in general. Second, are you confident enough, or are you projecting confidence? People can see how confident you are by how you speak and by your body language. Sure, people ask questions at the end of an interview to assure that this is the job they want. Confident people have a firm handshake while maintaining eye contact and stand tall. Lastly, do you have the drive and desire? Are you going to do whatever it takes to move the job search process along? Without a strong desire, you’ll just become another statistic.
Key Takeaways
Go forth with your job search with a change of attitude. See the world and its obstacles as opportunities to grow and learn. You are not unemployed; you are in transition to your next job better than the last. Remember to practice the five P’s to be prepared for anything your job search has to through at you. Become more disciplined, build and project your confidence, and fuel your drive with your strong desires for success. Be the statistic that gives people hope.
