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How to Crush Fears and Get On With Your Job Search

By U.S. News & World Report

A job search can produce a lot of anxiety. Once you get through the preparation process of getting your resume and cover letter together, you still have work to do. There’s applying, networking and interviewing. You may find that, no matter how unhappy you are in your current job, your search keeps getting pushed to the bottom of your to-do list and the needle never moves.

[See: The 8 Stages of a Winning Job Search.]

You may chalk up the delay to lack of time. But is that really what’s going on? Or could it be time to evaluate the mental roadblocks getting in the way? According to Danielle Droitsch, owner of Coaching with Danielle, there are three top mental offenders that hamper a job search:

— Succumbing to fear.

— Ignoring your strengths.

— Being disorganized.

Here’s how to tackle each.

Confront and drop fears. Fear, worry and insecurity are natural feelings during a job search for anyone. You may have started the search with a lot of enthusiasm that over time turned into disappointment. This is common. Like countless other job seekers, you may be afraid of not being good enough, being too old or being rejected. These feelings present an obstacle to confidence when you’re in the thick of a job search.

Droitsch warns that fear will fuel inaction and procrastination. It makes people feel less confident in networking and interview situations. Fear will sabotage the entire search process, and can truly impede a job search in such a way that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

How can you confront and drop fear? Droitsch says you should take time to reflect on what’s really going on inside, understanding that fears are fears, but not truths. It is sometimes helpful to write out your fears and then rip the paper up. The real trick is knowing that fear will be present in a job search but it does not mean your fears are valid.

[See: 8 Tacky Job Search Faux Pas.]

Recognize and invest in your strengths. We often compare ourselves to others rather than focusing on building ourselves up to be the strongest candidate. As you work to overcome your fears, concentrate on figuring out what you bring to your next employer. Think about your successes over the years and acknowledge how these are derived from your talents. Droitsch suggests investing time into knowing and then cultivating your strengths. When you focus on what makes you special, you will not only fuel your job search but also develop a positive attitude, which will help you attract and land opportunities.

Think about the following. What do colleagues or clients say about you? You can gather this information from performance appraisals, verbal comments or emails. What do you notice differentiates you from your teammates?

Organize and follow through. Droitsch says most job searchers think that if they deserve the job they want, it will come easily. This is simply not the case, and you must drop any assumptions that it should be easy to find work you love. In truth, the search for a new job — especially one that you really want — will take work and more time than you may think. And it will take being organized, tenacious and committed.

While finding work you love is not easy, the reward is worth it. Droitsch says to remember that you are the CEO of your job search. It’s up to you to drive that process to closure using good project-management skills.

[See: 8 Important Questions to Ask a Job Interviewer — and Yourself.]

Managing confidence is an important skill to foster regardless of whether you’re job searching, since it will help you stay positive, increase your likelihood of success at work and make you more open to opportunities that could come unexpectedly down the road. Start doing so by taking time to celebrate your accomplishments. Take a reflective moment where you simply say quietly to yourself, “You worked hard, you earned this.” This will give you the confidence to push through future challenges and help you invest in your strengths.

Don’t let your fears paralyze your job search. Take control of them, acknowledge your strengths and get moving. It’s going to take work but if you don’t crush your fears, you’re not going to move out of the stagnant place you’re at.

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How to Crush Fears and Get On With Your Job Search originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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