I think most job seekers would admit that searching for a job is high on the list of life’s ultimate stressors. There are several reasons for this. According to an article in Psychology Today, it is the pressure we put upon ourselves that creates the actual stress (Hanson 2022). If you are a job hunter, you have probably encountered a huge change in your life. Change is often unexpected and therefore we instinctively resist it. Resistance sucks the fuel out of our confidence levels. We know we need to move forward but are afraid to take the first step. Which step to choose? Will we even be chosen by the very step that we hope (yet dread) to take?
Humans, like music, are rhythmic and patterned. It takes great effort to change our tune. When we are laid off or have elected to exit a job situation, our sense of self worth usually takes a devastating blow. We might wonder why we made the decisions we did that led us to the place we are now—the place that feels like a mistake. We might feel lost and aimless, as if we are literally bubbling up with self doubt. We might wonder what our value is to the world. In the midst of this inner turmoil we are most likely facing immediate constraints and pressures, ranging from financial obligations, to family responsibilities, to our own health maintenance.
So how do we carve out time to dedicate to the job hunt while still juggling all the other facets of our beautifully complicated lives? How do we navigate the unknown and build back our confidence?
This is where AI swoops in like a superhero. WIth AI we have a job hunt comrade, available 24/7, bringing no judgment, no emotions, no pity. It doesn’t know our anxieties, our shame, nor our struggles. Working with AI is like channeling dreams from a renewed version of ourselves. We can ask questions and encounter instant answers. We can fine-tune our queries and receive relevant and encouraging guidance.
Do we do our best work when we are stressed? Or distracted? How about when we are exhausted or confused? Our best work builds from a sense of pride, along with a sense of ease. When we are confident, we are more motivated. Motivation determines how we present ourselves and thus shapes how prospective employers view us. When we show confidence in ourselves, we pronounce our own worth. When we are kind, friendly, and respectful to ourselves, we are defining our code of conduct and molding our expectations. This flavors the nature of our future opportunities and the likelihood of being given a chance.
Did you know that our smiles can actually convince us that we are happy? According to social psychology, and expressed in an NBC article, the physical act of expressing happiness results in the mind naturally wanting to follow (Spector 2017). Transferring this knowledge to the realm of the job hunt, we can view AI as a kind of smile training our minds to follow suit. We can elect AI to support and direct our brainstorming sessions. This increases validation, saves time and energy, and brings a holistic kind of relief. When we feel secure, our confidence reassures us that hard things are in fact possible.
While AI serves as a tool, as well as a robotic companion of sorts, it cannot replace the uniqueness we bring as natural human intellects. We need our minds and our experiences to ultimately profess our wishes and desires. AI will not speak for us during a phone call or interview. It cannot sit up straight, look someone in the eye, and describe with our voice and mannerisms why we are best and most brilliantly suited for the role. However, AI is ever behind the scenes, bolstering us, and mechanically cheering us on.
Who else is at our fingertips with poised intelligence, just waiting to be prompted? With an endless amount of energy, AI is a precious commodity for our job hunt path. I hope this makes you smile.
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