Improve Productivity with Self-Control Tips for the Job Search

Do you have a dream career that just seems a little out of reach? Maybe you’re thinking about getting a different job, but it is difficult to actually take the steps needed to achieve it? Maybe graduation is looming, but you’re having trouble balancing academic life and job applications?

I recently graduated from Texas Tech University with a PhD in experimental psychology, and I was so focused on my dissertation and ongoing research projects that job applications ended up in the “I’ll get to it later” category. I knew that staying on top of applications was important, but I had a hard time exercising the self-control to accomplish my goals.

Luckily (or perhaps ironically) I got my PhD doing research about self-control, so I put together a list of research-based tips and strategies for just this situation. This blog series contains evidence-based strategies to help you achieve your career goals.

Self-control is used in the job search process at 2 distinct times. The first challenge is to stay on track while preparing materials like resumes and personal statements or looking through endless pages of job postings. The second challenge is using self-control in an interview setting.

In this series, I’ll first explain how an approach orientation can promote self-control. In the next few posts, I’ll explore how focusing on one source of information, motivation, and situational factors can affect applications and preparation. Then I’ll dive into how you can use self-control research to help you nail the interview and maximize your chances of getting that dream job!

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Approach Orientation

Good self-control starts with a good goal. Many people have a vague wish to seek out the perfect job but have difficulty transforming that intention into an actionable goal (1). Drawing on research about goal setting can make the transition easier. People who specify what they are going to do (approach orientation), instead of what they are not going to do (avoidance orientation), are more effective at achieving their goals (2). This means re-framing the goal of “do not surf the internet” to “draft a cover letter.” People who use an approach orientation have a definite criterion for success, which allows them to stay on track more easily (3).

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References

1. J. C. Norcross, A. C. Ratzin, D. Payne, Ringing in the new year: The change processes and reported outcomes of resolutions. Addict. Behav. 14, 205–212 (1989).

2. C. S. Carver, M. F. Scheier, Control theory: A useful conceptual framework for personality–social, clinical, and health psychology. Psychol. Bull. 92, 111–135 (1982).

3. A. J. Elliot, K. M. Sheldon, Avoidance achievement motivation: A personal goals analysis. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 73, 171–185 (1997).