The stress of job-seeking...
We don't need to tell you that actively seeking work is mentally exhausting. You spend hours writing your CVs and cover letters, fine-tuning the information, checking for the tiny nuances of phrasing that could be the difference between consideration and rejection and battling interview nerves. After all that it can seem like a blow to not be accepted for the next stage. Unfortunately some people believe taking time out to reflect and build resilience is a luxury that they cannot afford.
We at pRESPECT, believe that... Taking time out during a job seeking to recharge and reflect on your current interview experiences, not only helps you to boost your confidence, but it can also support you to see where you may be repeating the same interview mistakes.
You may not realise that you may be carrying negative energy from past experience into the new interview, the quality of your response to the questions will be poor. This then leads to desperate job applications and a lack of quality research in the jobs you apply for as "any job" mindset kicks in.
So we have added 'Bounce back from Rejection workshop' as part of the pRESPECT program, to support individuals that we coach to work on their well being and resilience while applying for jobs that are within their skill set, goals, and qualification.
We invited Nonhle of @myzuluhut to provide food and share her bounce back journey as she works through her personal health while at the early stage of her food experience business. We can't wait to walk into My Zulu Hut and order her food.
The workshop experience
The purpose of this workshop was to encourage participants to build resilience and allow themselves the time to accept setback, notice the effect it has on their well being, but then, perhaps the next day, it is time to pick yourself up, brush yourself off and start all over agaaaaaaain. Seek support, set goals and give yourself time to reflect on your actions, interview experiences and how are you going continue.
Nonhle Duma knows all about this. Having run a successful business in Dublin she moved to Edinburgh and is in the process of having to start from scratch. Her mind is packed with ideas for what she could do but right at this moment she is focusing on food. Or should I say, FOOD!
The workshop started with some simple focus and calming games to get us in the mood while Nonhle set up her spread which we had commissioned. It didn't disappoint. She's able to produce food of such a range but this set up was perfect for offices healthy, tasty, tidy and crunchy.
While we were helping ourselves to her lovely buffet, she told us about her journey and the obstacles she has had to overcome, with S.African music playing and the lights dimmed. It was a lovely atmosphere that allowed everyone to feel comfortable enough to express themselves freely.
After this another member of pRESPECT, Emily revealed her green sponge cake made with leaf juices and coconut milk. It's a speciality of Singapore apparently but strangely evoked childhood memories in us all.
The group made their own mood boards use as inspiration and motivation to keep pursuing their goals and, finally, each got the chance to practice public speaking as they explained their choices and what they plan to do next.
To get to know more about Nonhle and how you too can bounce back from career-related rejection, check out our interview series on the pRESPECT YouTube channel.