“I’d do anything to get a job interview!”

“This is my dream job!”

“I’m so excited. I’ve seen a job that fits me exactly! I must have that job!”

As a professional resume writer, these three phases fill my day… everyday; they have for the past 23 years.

And yet, just how motivated are you to do what needs to be done for a job you’d do anything for?

For instance would you:

• Attend an interview at 7am or 8pm? What about a Saturday?
• Be prepared to work collaboratively with a resume writer? Answer questions that that you have no idea why they’re being asked but spend hours answering them anyway? 
• Put off submitting your application to the very last minute due to ‘being busy’ with family, travel, or work commitments?
• Make a phone call to ask about the job being advertised or to followup on your application?
• Reach out to someone in the target company on LinkedIn who can provide you with ‘insider’ knowledge of the firm?

Hang on… did you say ‘no’ to any of these things?

Just how motivated are you exactly?

In the last few weeks, clients have justified to me ever-so rationally, why they can’t put themselves out to try to secure the “job of their dreams”.

• I’m sooo busy at work… oh I’m travelling this week can’t really get to a phone…
• A late night or early morning interview? Are they kidding? 
• Sure! I want a great resume! Oh you mean I’m going to have to answer questions about my career? Really? Can’t you just, you know, make it up? Pick up stuff from the internet? I don’t really see why you need to know this information… 
• I don’t really think I want to call the company. I’ll just wait and see how my application goes. 
• Contact someone on LinkedIn? No, that’s outside my comfort zone… I don’t think they’d help me anyway really…

Motivation. It’s a funny thing alright… you’ll do anything absolutely anything to get that job; as long as it doesn’t include putting yourself out… or is it something more?

People making career transitions often find reasons to disengage. Fear, apathy, uncertainty, distraction and resistance are all intangibles that turn their display of outward excitement into self-sabotaging, negative talk. Sometimes people need coaches to work through and eliminate the negative, face change in a positive light, and relish life’s opportunities before they become immobilised.

Do you want to move forward? Are you genuinely excited by opportunities, or are you being pushed—by your spouse’s expectations, a change at work that you don’t want, or feelings that you “should” be doing this?

What do you want this job for? Work in and of itself is not an answer… what is your goal? Make the connection between why you want this job and the reason behind you wanting it… maybe it will give you extra cash to take that trip to London to see family; maybe it will help you gain greater financial independence by paying off your mortgage.

If you have that connection to fall back on you’ll have a concrete and clearly articulated reason that will help propel you forward and really, genuinely, do what needs to be done.

Fear and uncertainty can pull down the most positive dreams and aspirations, and that fear can be masked as laziness, tiredness and procrastination. Is it time for you to start analysing your real level of motivation?