WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ – Looking for a job in a tight market is hard enough, but an added challenge for job seekers today is not letting negative reports about the employment situation deter them from their efforts, according to Bernadette Kenny, Executive Vice President of global career services company Lee Hecht Harrison.

Although there is limited job growth, normal turnover and increased discretionary hiring as the economy improves are creating opportunities, said Kenny. “We actually see more clients, who are conducting strategic and focused searches, landing new positions. But many people get bogged down by bad news, and they are far less successful in their efforts.”

Kenny warned that job seekers have to avoid the vicious cycle of believing there is no hope. “In the face of news stories about lagging job creation and positions being offshored, there is a temptation to throw up one’s hands. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in February, 484,000 people who wanted and were available to work had stopped looking expressly because they believed no jobs were available for them.” Kenny observed that countless others didn’t formally quit but consciously or unconsciously slowed their efforts. “As a result, they contributed to the month’s disappointing employment statistics.”

However, Kenny stresses, job seekers can be successful if they’re resilient enough to focus on a structured effort. “Even with a good plan of action, job seekers who are discouraged or fatalistic tend to unwittingly neglect or sabotage their searches. On the other hand, job seekers who stay optimistic have the positive demeanor and concentration necessary to carry them through the process.”

While the ability to bounce back from bad news and stay productive comes naturally to some people, for others resilience is a strength they must develop, said Kenny. The good news is that with some effort, it can be done. She offered the following advice for job seekers who are hampered by prevailing pessimism about the job market:

Seek out success stories. Think of people you know who have been successful in the job search and reach out to them about their experience. Ask them what helped them stay positive and focused and try to internalize their approach. Make a habit of reading the “people on the move” column in your local paper. It will reinforce that, even in these tough times, people are finding jobs. And remember that with the national unemployment rate at just 5.6%, the vast majority of Americans who want jobs have them.

Know the territory. Understand the forces shaping the job market as well as the way the media cover it. Know, for example, that many jobs that people get today were never publicly posted and don’t necessarily show up in the job creation numbers. Also factor in the role national elections play in current job market coverage. Awareness of trends having an impact on your situation will enable you to recognize and acquire the knowledge and skills you need to succeed.

Connect to resources. Sustain positive personal and professional relationships. Develop a personal support network you can rely on and identify organizational and community resources you can access during the stressful career transition period.

Take care of yourself. Maintain an optimistic, receptive and flexible attitude and a sense of humor. Attend to your health, fitness and peace of mind. Focusing on your overall well-being will give you strength to deflect bad news and focus on a proactive search.

Set short-term, attainable goals. Nothing makes it easier to dismiss discouraging news than having successes of your own to celebrate. Rather than focusing only on the ultimate goal of finding a new job, create weekly, manageable goals that take you towards that end. For example, create a chart with target numbers for weekly networking contacts, letters, phone calls and interviews. Noting your productivity and accomplishments will help you stay motivated and upbeat.

Enlist a job search buddy. Find a close friend or former colleague whose opinion you respect, to “coach” you in your job search. Ask him or her not just for encouragement but also to review your job search plan, target organizations and weekly goals to make sure they are realistic.

Kenny noted that developing the capacity to bounce back is not only critical as people go through career transition, but is also relevant once they are re-employed. “With the world of work as well as the world at large increasingly uncertain, having the capacity to concentrate and remain effective in the face of stress, upheaval and uncertainty is important in all aspects of life.”

Bernadette Kenny Executive Vice President Lee Hecht Harrison 201/782-3703 OR Laura Morrison 212/206-0033