High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 4 Ways to Cope with Anxiety at Work

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• 4 Ways to Cope with Anxiety in the Work Place: "In every place I’ve worked, I’ve found a confidante. I let this person know about my anxiety, and update them if anything is happening in my personal life that may cause increased stress."

• Are You Ready to Go Freelance?: "When asked about the biggest challenge they face, half of the independent consultants we surveyed mentioned unpredictability, insecurity, and volatility."

• What You Need (Besides Grit) to Succeed: "You need grit to have a chance. But success requires the action of others, too. Be realistic and give it everything you've got, and be bold if you can about requesting a recommendation."

• 3 Things to Do to Be Better at Decision-Making: "But just knowing your purpose isn’t enough. You must also identify the precise outcomes (the what) you desire to achieve."
• 3 Ways to Prevail as a Female Entrepreneur:"Taking the high road, staying focused on the goals ahead and trusting yourself and your capabilities is most often the best course of action."

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 5 Behaviors That Can Make You More Successful at Work

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• 5 Behaviors That Can Make You More Successful at Work: "People destined for greatness know exactly when to quit—only when they’ve found success. You have the patience to see something through to the end."

• The 15 Minute Ritual Necessary to Recharge Your Day: "We've got great research supporting the fact that naps can help corporations and employees, yet we still feel reluctant to make it an acceptable part of a healthy lifestyle and a healthy workday."

• Why the Traditional 4-Year Degree Isn't Cutting It Anymore: "Even as greater numbers of young Americans head to college, fewer are seeing the return on their substantial investments of time, effort and money."

• 3 Reasons Why It's Never Too Late to Start the Work You Love: "I began to look at my time as an investment. If a project did not help me grow, forge meaningful relationships or give me personal fulfillment, it had to go."
• What to Do When You're Feeling Distracted at Work: "If you have colleagues who are constantly distracted themselves, or who tend to pull you away from work, try to spend less time with them."

How to Handle Rejection

“Thank you for your interest in the VIP position at ABC corporation. I want to thank you for applying for the position and let you know that we are moving forward with another candidate. Other positions open regularly and we invite you to keep an eye open for future job postings.”

You might have received a similar message by email or over the phone sometime and even if the position didn’t seem right to you or you had concluded that you weren’t a good fit, it can hurt to experience rejection.

So, how best to manage the disappointment that comes from rejection and move forward?

First of all, accept how you feel. It’s perfectly normal to feel down or disappointed by the rejection. If you’ve received multiple messages like this you might be feeling very discouraged and wonder if you’ll ever find the right job. Allow yourself to experience these emotions, acknowledge that it’s okay and normal to feel them but decide on a time (say 48 hours) for you to move on.

Then reevaluate your strategy. Perhaps you need to be more targeted in your job search, or maybe you can gain more support and leads from your network. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback, both from those close to you and from a prospective employer that you interviewed with. Take some time to gather feedback, revise your job search strategy, and refocus your energy.

Reenergize by gaining a new perspective. Look at each rejection as an opportunity to learn something new about your field, to develop strength and grit, and to work on taking a more positive and optimistic approach to your career. Every door that shuts makes possible another door to open, leading to a position that will best utilize your strengths and skills. Or perhaps it’s even time to consider taking the path of an entrepreneur. 

Finally, continue to apply for jobs, experience rejection, and get back up. You’ll learn a lot about yourself, other companies, and gain valuable experience and knowledge about your industry by interviewing for many positions.

The resilience you develop will eventually lead to the right position in the best company for you.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: The 5 Best Questions to Ask in an Interview

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• The 5 Best Questions to Ask in an Interview: "Since a job interview is your chance to interview the company while they interview you, it's important to ask the hiring team questions that will help you decide if it's the right fit for you, too."

• How to Calm Your Nerves Before a Big Presentation: "Don’t take the basics for granted. Get a good night’s sleep, hydrate, and watch your caffeine intake before a big presentation so that your heart rate isn’t already elevated. Also, make sure that you’ve eaten a good meal and that you aren’t going in hungry."

• 7 Small Changes that Will Make a Big Difference in Your Life: "It is impossible to be confident and self-assured if your thoughts are filled with self-doubt and judgment. If you would never speak to others the way you internally speak to yourself, you can change."

• 5 Characteristics of Grit: "The definition of grit is courage and resolve or strength of character. It can also mean an indomitable and irrepressible spirit that doesn’t back down in the face of failure or obstacles."
• 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do: "They say that bravery is being scared to death to do something and doing it anyway. Many times, that’s true, even when it comes to your career."

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: What Trait is Necessary for Success?

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

Today we focus on the trait most necessary for success. This trait is not social intelligence, high I.Q., good physical health, or good looks. In this video psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth discusses the trait she's identified in research as the most responsible for success. 

What do you think that trait is?