“Does Finding Another Job Depend More on Luck than Effort?”

I hope that isn’t what you believe, because it simply isn’t so.

Unfortunately, some of the people we meet in our workshops start out feeling that way.

Yes, even though the economy is showing some signs of growth the job market is still weak, but it isn’t dead.  The number of people finding another job and gaining re-employment may not be huge, but some people are finding work!

I use the word “finding” instead of “getting” because the former is active and the latter passive.

Psychologists use the concept “locus of control” to describe the extent to which some people believe their destiny is in their own hands versus those who believe their future is reliant on luck.

People who think that outside forces play a major role in their lives are considered to have an external locus of control. They have a tendency to feel that success takes a lot of luck and being in the right place at the right time. These individuals believe that there isn’t much they can do to influence their lot in life.

In contrast, other people feel they are largely in control of their destiny and are described as having an internal locus of control. For them, hard work and perseverance pay off, even when it comes to looking for work. They know that a job isn’t going to fall into their lap, and they’re certainly not going to wait until the economy has fully recovered before making a conscientious search.

For sure a little luck can help.  It helps even more if you create opportunities for luck to befall you. What does that mean? Keep applying for every position you’d like to get.

Tell everyone you know – family, friends, parents of your children, service providers – the kind of job you’re looking for.

Feel in your heart that you are in the driver’s seat and there is a good job out there waiting for you to find it.