The job hunt begins.
We head over to our music room, only to discover that our instrument is slightly out of tune. It has been awhile since we played. It takes time to warm up and land on the sweeter tones. Perhaps we will need to replace a few strings or print out some chords.
It requires effort to remember how to groove. We jump in, head first. We improvise. We amp up and shine when certain themes are revisited. Gradually gaining momentum, we build from our initial randomness and hesitation, to the heights of jubilance.
Thus, our improvisation continues, growing in boldness. We get a little daring. Along the way, pleasant harmonies are discovered. We land on a definite tune and feel confident about it. Over time, our tentative composition ignites a fresh arrangement.
A new song is born.
What better way to fuel our creative job hunt endeavors, than with a musical soundtrack of our choosing. According to Jennifer Fink with Pfizer, music is deeply connected to mood, as well as it increases our brain’s processing abilities. If we listen to music that makes us feel positive and encouraged, we are more likely to keep on track, to keep the hope, to keep going.
Considering that we are often feeling stressed and uncertain during our hunt, any free and easy remedy is welcome. In-depth studies reveal that listening to music actually causes chemical changes in our body. Pandora’s Cloud Cover publication, “How Music Affects the Mood”, suggests that dopamine increases when we listen to our favorite songs. We actually feel better and more alert when our life soundtrack makes us happy.
Harvard Business Review published a fascinating piece regarding music and productivity. The author, Chamorro-Premuzic, provides suggestions for refining our listening pleasures, which in turn, should enrich our productivity levels. We are guided to:
1) Consider our personality type to assess how we would benefit from musical backdrop,
2) Think about how we feel, and attempt to align with the feeling through music or diverge from unwanted feelings by playing music that expresses those we would rather be experiencing,
3) Adapt our listening choices to the intricacy of our tasks,
4) Experiment with music as a deterrent to outside distractions, and
5) Realize that the difference between lyrical versus instrumental songs might have an impact on our ability to focus.
Further topics to explore as a job hunter are:
- The relationship between music, human development, and wellbeing, which is highlighted in Frontiers of Psychology’s Editorial work: “The Impact of Music on Human Development and Wellbeing”.
- The healing nature of music, as set forth in Springer Link’s multi-authored piece: “Does music heal? Opera and the Mood of People Over 50 years of Age”.
- Music and emotion, according to an article in the neuroscience section of El País, entitled, “Music Scientists Find the Connection Between Music and Emotion: ‘Our Neurons dance to the same rhythm’.
Now, let’s get back to our original train of thought—that we ourselves make the music.
We write our own songs to invite opportunity. Imagine that in our quest for employment, we include an Intro, welcoming our prospective employer to have a listen—enticing them with a hook. We include several Verses of our professional history, framing such with resounding Chorus to remind why we are the best fit for the role in question. We add a Bridge to bring a dash of pizazz—perhaps even some intrigue. Finally, we reach the Outro, expressing our utmost gratitude before moving on to the next role.
With practice, expressing our needs becomes natural. Every cover letter, application, and interview is an original song about who we are. Our songs strengthen with each showcase, until one day we realize that we have finally memorized every note, every beat, every flourish.
We proceed with the hunt. Our dream job is out there and we will serenade it into fruition.
May the music bring us hope.
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