How To Get The Job You Really
Really Want - Positive Mental Attitude
Positive Mental Attitude or PMA, we hear so much
about it. Some people find it difficult to talk about, others find
it difficult to do. It totally passes many people by! Indeed, the
vast majority of the population spend their entire lives totally
unaware that they can be positive. In all honesty, it's not their
fault, no-one gave them the chance, or more to the point they didn't
give themselves a chance.
So many people simply wish and waste their lives
away. They live for Friday nights and then go out and piss their
lives away in the pub. There can be so much more to life, and a
positive attitude can help bring the rewards that life
potentially has to offer. As with the last chapter, I could
write about ten books on PMA, all the various techniques and methods
that are available. Unfortunately, there just isn't space here to
do that and anyway, this isn't a book about attitude.
Having said that, it is vitally important in your
job search. Why? Well, firstly we have talked about many
things in this book that will give you the edge over the
competition. An attitude that is positive will give you an
advantage that is beyond belief. It is like giving your
interview one great big turbo charge. It is a 5 litre V12 engine
versus the standard 16 valve 1.8!
It is fact
that on surveying employers, the most important factors when making
a hiring decision (and this is above all skill attributes) is
EAGERNESS and a CAN DO mentality. That means a positive
mental attitude. The catch-phrase is simply this;
Your altitude is
controlled by your attitude.
In other words, if you have the right attitude to
your job, you really can scale the heights.
It is also interesting to note that attitude is so
important that it comes above any other factor including religion,
social status and race. It is refreshing to know there are some
things which can genuinely overcome some of the prejudices we
have to put up with!
Unfortunately, too many people put too many false
barriers in their own lives. They build these wonderful "neg"
shells around themselves, and they go around radiating doom and
gloom. Are you one of these people? Put yourself in the hirer's
position. Would you hire someone who comes in every morning with a
face like thunder, complaining that it always goes wrong for them,
nothing ever goes right. Life? Don't talk to me about life.. etc,
etc.
Of course you wouldn't. For one thing, someone like
that soon has the entire office on a downer (for your
information, it's called the ripple effect). When the office gets
like that it is a rapidly escalating downward spiral. Ever been
there? Awful isn't it? The bad news is there are many offices
like that, with negative people causing just this scenario. That is
why someone with a positive attitude is so sought after. If you
have a negative situation, and someone with a highly positive frame
of mind joins, it can lift the entire place. More work gets done,
the work is of a better quality, the other employees are happier,
and the spiral is reversed.
Think about your own situation. How does it make you
feel if you go into a shop and get really bad service? You know,
where the assistant simply grunts at you, makes no eye contact
(seems to ignore you), and has a surly look about them? Makes you
feel awful doesn't it? You certainly don't want to buy from that
store; you quickly form a negative impression of that particular
shop. You do it, so you know it is true. So, if you have a
negative attitude, that is how you will affect the interviewer.
And guess what, you won't get the job. Q.E.D!
The feelings that you give to other people are called
strokes. Positive strokes are good news and make people feel
happy. Things such as praise, thanks, interest or admiration. All
positive emotions are generated by a positive attitude. They will
make colleagues, or indeed interviewers, relate to your cause.
Negative strokes, however, make you feel bad. Things
like criticism, ingratitude, lack of attention and ridicule, will
alienate you in not just the interviewers' eyes.
So think about your attitude, and what your attitude
says about you to others. As I said eagerness and positive
attitude, if displayed at interview, can easily override
shortcomings in other skills or experience. The willingness to get
in and do a job, or learn a job, with a good heart is vitally
important. It can overcome some major gaps in your
experience.
Even if you have all the relevant experience for a
particular vacancy, if you demonstrate a highly positive attitude,
it will put you further ahead of the competition than
anything else written in this book. This short chapter is probably
the most important.
Some people are born with a positive attitude, some
develop it during their life. Whatever, if you decide to adopt it,
it needs to become your way of life. PMA is not something you can
turn on and off. Sorry, it doesn't work like that. You have to
work at it if you're not a natural. It takes time, but the
investment is well worthwhile. Granted, even the most positive
person in the world has the odd "off day", but if you cultivate a
positive attitude, you will gradually find the good days outnumber
the bad.
You will also find that other people respond to you
differently, and the major benefit is that people will more easily
respond to your wishes. It's amazing. Be grumpy and off with
people, and they will not want to know you. However, demonstrate a
positive, "can do" attitude, and the will to get on with people, and
the results will be truly remarkable.
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Positive
Mental Attitude Resources
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