In this time of uncertainty and rapid change, are you stuck in one place, rigid with fear, or are you flexing and moving with the wind like bamboo? This is a time for resilience, a time to adapt and recover quickly, so you can keep moving forward in your career journey. Be like the bamboo, bend but do not break.
Resilience is as important in your career as it is in your personal life. Organizations seek resilient employees who have the self-sufficiency, mental agility, optimism, and persistence to bounce back from setbacks or failures and continue to make positive contributions. Now is a great time to think about how you can apply resiliency to your career search. And if you are not feeling especially resilient at the moment, here are a few simple things you can practice to build your up your resilience:
Be mindful –Be in the here and now. Don’t dwell on yesterday or tomorrow. Do what you can with this day.
Accept what is out of your control – COVID-19 and what’s happening as a result of the pandemic is affecting our lives in many unexpected ways and is entirely out of our control. Take the things you cannot control – like the loss of a summer internship opportunity or the lack of communication from an organization you were previously interviewing with – and focus on the things you can control. For example: SearchLinkedIn for jobs posted in the last 14 days; check Bostoncares.org for volunteer opportunities related to COVID-19 response; reach out to Harvard Chan alumni working in your field of interest and request informational interviews.
Think short–term VS long-term– You may need to adjust your short-term career goals for now, but that doesn’t mean your long-term goals get thrown out the window. Your first job out of graduate school will not be your last and every job is an opportunity to learn, grow, and build your network for future opportunities. So, be open to switching gears in the short-term. Is there a path you may not have considered before or a door you’ve avoided opening? It’s a good time to be open to all possibilities that the universe brings your way.