Developing a growth mindset for the job search

The job search process comes with many of its own unique challenges that can be daunting for many students and professionals seeking new opportunities, especially in sports.

From the fierce competition and evolving industry requirements to the emotional toll of those dreaded rejection emails, job seekers often encounter various obstacles that can impact their confidence and motivation.

Understanding these challenges is crucial for anyone embarking on the journey of securing a new position. A mindset transformation can be the key element in overcoming these hurdles.

But why is your mindset important in the job search process? 🤔

👋 Influence on Behavior: Your mindset influences how you approach challenges, setbacks, and opportunities. A positive mindset can lead to proactive and constructive actions, while a negative mindset may result in avoidance or self-sabotage.

💪 Resilience: Job searching often comes with a lot of rejection, setbacks, and uncertainties. A resilient mindset helps you bounce back from disappointments, learn from failures, and stay motivated despite obstacles.

🤗 Confidence: A positive mindset enhances your confidence and belief in your own ability to achieve your goals. Confidence is attractive to employers and it empowers you to showcase your skills and accomplishments during interviews and networking opportunities.

✅ Adaptability to Change: The sports job market is dynamic and ever-changing. A growth mindset fosters adaptability by encouraging a willingness to learn new skills, embrace change, and navigate uncertainties with a proactive approach.

🤝 Networking and Relationship Building: Positive mindsets contribute to effective communication and relationship building. Networking is a crucial aspect of the job search and a positive attitude can make interactions more enjoyable, leading to stronger professional connections.

🧠 Health and Well-Being: Mental well-being is essential during the job search. Maintaining a positive mindset contributes to reduced stress, anxiety, and burnout, promoting overall mental and emotional health.

⚡ Attracting Opportunities: Employers are often drawn to candidates with a positive and optimistic outlook. A mindset that exudes enthusiasm, passion, and a solution-oriented approach can make you stand out as a desirable candidate.

📚 Continuous Learning & Improvement: A growth mindset fosters a love for learning and improvement. In a competitive job market, the ability to adapt, upskill, and seek continuous improvement is highly valued by employers.

So, what is a growth mindset?

💡 A growth mindset adopts an attitude that embraces challenges, sees failures as opportunities for learning, and believes in the ability to develop skills and intelligence over time.

Here's how you can start cultivating a growth mindset:

➡️ Approach challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. Don't shy away from tasks that seem difficult, instead view them as opportunities to expand your abilities.

➡️ Understand that effort is a crucial part of the learning process. Recognize that improvement and mastery come from consistent effort and practice.

➡️ See feedback and constructive criticism as valuable input for improvement. Use criticism as a guide for making adjustments and refining your skills.

➡️ Acknowledge and celebrate the hard work and effort you put into a task, regardless of the outcome. Focus on the progress you make rather than solely the end result.

➡️ Value the learning process itself, not just the end goal. Enjoy the journey of acquiring new knowledge and skills.

➡️ Develop a curious mindset by asking questions and seeking to understand more deeply. Stay open to new ideas and perspectives.

➡️ Challenge and change negative self-talk. Instead of saying "I can't do this", say "I can't do this yet but I will learn".

➡️ Set realistic goals for improvement. Break down larger goals into smaller, manageable steps.

➡️ Seek out mentors and role models who embody a growth mindset. Surround yourself with individuals who encourage learning and development.

➡️ Instead of feeling threatened by others' success, see it as an opportunity to learn and be inspired. Understand that success is not limited, and there is room for growth for everyone.

➡️ When facing setbacks or failures, analyze what went wrong and what can be learned from the experience. Consider failures as stepping stones to success.

➡️ Develop resilience by persevering through challenges. Understand that setbacks are a natural part of the learning process.

STORYTIME 📖

My first job out of college was with the NFL as an assistant. I loved this job and was eternally happy to go to work every day. I got to work on the coolest projects and go to all the fun events like the Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, and NFL Draft.

Then I got let go.

It happened out of nowhere. I was technically a contractor (temporary) employee instead of a full-time employee so when my department got restructured, I was told that they didn't need me anymore.

I was devastated. I thought that I meant more to them. I thought I was so valuable that they couldn't possibly just dismiss me the way they did. I thought I deserved better.

And I did. But that's not how this industry works.

I spent 8 months unemployed after that desperate to find a new job in the industry.

This is when I first learned how grueling the job search process can be.

I was applying to at least 20 jobs every day, jobs that I felt I was surely qualified for if not over-qualified. I sent countless LinkedIn messages to people to grow my network. I thought it would be easy to land a new role with the NFL on my resume.

It wasn't.

After months of rejections and ghosting by recruiters, I realized that I had to be doing something wrong.

👉 If I wasn't seeing any success by this point, I must be the problem.

Looking back, this is the moment I embarked on the journey of developing a growth mindset.

I took a step back and took a hard look at everything I was doing. Was I letting my desperation get the best of me in interviews and networking outreach? Was I letting my negative self-talk convince me that I was not deserving of these opportunities? Was I too conceited to think that I had learned everything I needed to learn in my career and that I was qualified for every role at the age of 23?

I realized that I needed to check myself and I needed to learn, grow, and challenge myself to do better in this process.

I read books, listened to podcasts, and found countless articles on how to build a job search strategy and really map out your own career. What did I want it to be?

Once I figured out what I actually wanted, I figured out what types of roles I needed to apply for to gain the experience I needed to pursue that career.

This was a way better strategy than just applying to everything and taking whatever I got offered.

💡 No one just offers you jobs because you apply for them.

You get offered jobs because you express interest in the field, show passion for the work, and can clearly articulate how this role will help you accomplish all your career goals.

That's how I got out of unemployment and found my new career in recruiting & DEI.

Ever since then, I've never stopped learning. I went back to graduate school and got an MBA. I take courses on LinkedIn Learning. I attend workshops, seminars, and conferences regularly.

There is so much knowledge out there to learn, and if you invest in it, you will grow into a leader and employee that is deserving of new opportunities.

Now, go get 'em! 💯