Five frogs sitting on a log in a swamp. One decides to jump into the water.
How many frogs are now sitting on the log in the swamp?
I posed this question a few months ago. The answer is five. Deciding is not the same as doing. (Go find and read the article at my blog.)
Hoping is a similar concept. Hoping is a thought process, just as deciding is a thought process. Thought without followup action is useless.
Alas, too many people allow hope to take over their job search.
They find the perfect job online; complete the application; tap the Submit button and know they will get an interview.
For them, hoping = knowing; so, they do the same thing over and over.
They are like gamblers at slot machines who pull the arm on the one-armed bandit and for a moment feel "this time I'll be a winner."
Relying on hope--or other feelings--is no different than relying on luck.
Hope is not a strategy. It's not an action tool.
Instead, be a person who says "I make my own luck."
Use hope during your planning. Be hopeful as a form of self-support. Then follow up with action:
Design and get some business cards.
Have someone review your resume and LinkedIn profile.
Work on a template for your cover letters and thank you notes. Have them reviewed.
Get off the computer and start meeting people. Get comfortable chatting with people in person.
Instead of just hoping (and moping), you'll find that successful action will make you feel better. You won't just hope; you will feel hopeful.
And there's no time like the present---the holiday season--to get started.
I myself interviewed for several jobs in December and January and started three in February.
Contrary to what you might think, hiring doesn’t stop during the holiday season. Employers hire when they need new employees.
Go show them why they need you.
Happy holidays!