The Law of Attraction in Your Job Search

The energy you project to the universe when looking for a job will come back to you

Among the people I coach, there’s always a handful of job seekers who talk very negatively. No matter what advice or encouragement I give, they consistently respond with a negative answer. Even if I go the extra mile to introduce them to others in my network, or send them job postings from recruiters I know, they see things as hopeless and defeating.

That won’t work for me. I have already tried.

Recruiters never respond.

This is too hard…

I do get it; the job search is a very hard and frustrating process. But these job seekers are giving up too soon, in my opinion. They’re also projecting the wrong type of energy to the universe.

Have you heard of the Law of Attraction?

The law of attraction is a universal principle that states you will attract into your life whatever you focus on. Whatever you give your energy and attention to is what will come back to you. — Jack Canfield on “A Complete Guide to Using the Law of Attraction”

When you go by this principle, you can see that approaching the job search from a place of anger or self-doubt will only bring you more of those feelings. Moreover, the outcomes will also be aligned to those negative feelings.

What does it look like in your job search?

First of all, if you’re constantly thinking, Looking for a job is too hard, or I’ll never find a good job, or I’m not enough, you’re reinforcing your reality.

• When you see yourself as a victim of the circumstances, your emotions will show up when you’re interviewing or networking.
• Your candidacy will be overlooked for someone who is more optimistic, even if they are less qualified than you for the role.
• When you reach out or talk to people, they may not be willing to interact with you. (Just like the lady I mentioned in my article about first impressions)

That’s because your negative energy is felt, somehow, by others. Even if you try to hide your negative emotions, your words, facial expressions, and subtle cues from your attitude will be picked up by the people you meet.

On the contrary, when you’re show up with a positive and hopeful attitude, you’ll start to portray a more effective demeanour that will attract opportunities.

Now, shifting your mindset to be “more positive and hopeful” is not an easy task! You have to start with self-compassion and paying attention to your inner thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. Below I’m listing some actions you can take.

Practical techniques to shift your mindset

1. Reframing your thoughts

One of the best techniques to change your mindset is reframing. You can do the following:

• Notice your negative thought patterns about your job search.
• Observe the feelings as if you were watching a movie. Don’t judge yourself; just observe.
• Put labels to the feelings and acknowledge them. By the way, feelings are not “good” or “bad”; they are there to teach us something, as Dr. Susan David explains.
• Then consciously change them into something more positive and forward looking.

For example, if you catch yourself thinking, I’ll never find a job, take a step back to acknowledge the thought. Give a name to the feeling associated with it: frustration, anger, despair, etc. Then, consciously think,

I’ll stop saying that. A great job is out there waiting for me.

This will shift your mindset towards a more positive feeling of hope and enthusiasm to continue moving forward.

Also, if you’re going through a selection process, you can reframe it as an opportunity where you can show how you’ll solve their problems and bring value to the company. Instead of obsessing with the multiple job requirements and saying I don’t have all these qualifications, you can think,

My unique strengths and abilities align with this role and company. I can help them solve their problems.

If you believe in your abilities to solve the organization’s problems, you’ll be able to approach the interviews feeling more confident and positive.

2. Keep a journal of thoughts

Another technique that works well is to write your feelings down. This can be done in two different ways:

• A brain dump, where you spend 10–15 minutes writing whatever feelings you have and what may be causing them. This will give you reflection points and clarity of mind.
• A reframing T-chart, where you write the negative feeling or doubtful thought on one side of a big “T” and a reframed statement right across. This will help you reframe more clearly.

In addition, you can write a list of all your strengths and accomplishments on another page. When you see these on paper, you will be directing your brain with positive emotions. You will start thinking of possibilities instead of missing qualifications. You will feel that you’re in control of your personal narrative.

When I work with my clients on their “job search mindset”, I encourage them to take stock of their strengths first. I reassure them they are valuable as professionals and human beings. I tell them that a sudden layoff comes with many lessons learned and they can bounce back more quickly with the right mindset.

Final thoughts

The Law of Attraction is a strange thing, not fully explainable, but it is true. Once you learn to reframe your thoughts and feelings, your behaviours and outcomes will change.

I went through this process when I was actively looking for a job a few years ago, and learned reframing techniques from great coaches like Linda Burridge and Daisy Wright. Now it’s my turn to help others, and I’m seeing the same happening with my clients.

By shifting your mindset from self-doubt to possibility, focusing on your strengths, and taking control of your personal narrative, you’ll start to feel confident and grateful to show up positively. You have everything to be successful.

For those who want to read more about the Law of Attraction, check this article:

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