11 Career Affirmations to Inspire Your Job Search in the New Year

Waiting for the ball to drop at work? Let these career affirmations light a spark in your new year job search.

Are you one of the 12.6 million people actively looking for a new job right now? Job searching can be daunting under the best of circumstances. But trying to find a remote position during a pandemic is truly intimidating. Here are some helpful career affirmations you can turn to when you feel discouraged or unmotivated on your journey to find the perfect remote job.

1. When You Don’t Think You’re Good Enough

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

Eleanor Roosevelt

One of the most important career affirmations and one that is especially important as a job interview affirmation. Everyone experiences moments of self-doubt. However, it’s important not to let those thoughts rule your mind. If you do, your confidence will tank. In the end, feeling worthy is a choice.

Know that you are good enough for any job or career path. However, if you feel like you’re a bit below the curve or falling behind your peers, maybe it’s time to hit the books. Take a few online courses, get a mentor, stay current on industry news and trends, and network with other professionals. Feeling on top of the latest developments in your field will boost to your confidence when communicating with recruiters and potential employers.

Pro Tip: Knowledge and preparation fuel confidence. Learn how to write a winning resume tailored to remote jobs in your industry. Feel extra confident and get your resume professionally written by the talented writers at Virtual Vocations.

2. When You’re Afraid to Commit

You always have two choices: your commitment versus your fears.

Sammy Davis, Jr.

Commitment is scary. What if you lock yourself into something that’s not right for you? What if you sign a contract, then decide it’s not a good fit? What if you’re in over your head? What if the job ends up being more work than you initially thought?

You can drive yourself crazy with all the what-ifs, or you can take the plunge and see where it leads you. The affirmation for job seekers is to make the decision to try, act professionally, and accept the consequences of your choice. By all means, create an exit plan in case you need to switch gears; just don’t quit before you even start.

Pro Tip: Recognize the learning experiences in everything you do. When you approach life and jobs with genuine curiosity and eagerness to learn, you’re less afraid of commitment and more interested in growing.

3. When You Experience Rejection

You can’t control everything. Sometimes you just need to relax and have faith that things will work out. Let go a little and just let life happen.

Kody Keplinger, Author

This job search and career affirmation is about being real. You’re not the perfect fit for every job out there. If an employer sends you a rejection email or doesn’t call you back, don’t take it personally. Though you and that position were not a match, there are plenty of potential matches available. Sometimes you need to zigzag a bit to find that sweet spot where your skills and interests align with a company and the positions they offer.

Pro Tip: Evaluate how you market yourself. Look at your resume, analyze your interviewing skills, and pay close attention to the language you use to describe your skills and experience. You may need to tweak the way you talk about yourself to capture an employer’s attention.

4. When You’re Searching for Purpose

Purpose is the place where your deep gladness meets the world’s needs.

Frederick Buechner, Presbyterian Minister and Author

Nothing stalls a career longer than a deep search for purpose. Let go of the pressure to explicitly define what you’re supposed to do with your life and simply pay attention to where your natural talents and interests take you. Find work that aligns with your skills and values, while also keeping you engaged.

The career affirmation for job search success is to recognize that the world needs whatever you have to offer. So, give yourself and your abilities away freely. There is no wrong purpose or better purpose—there is only your purpose.

Pro Tip: Ask yourself: What can I offer the world to make it a little bit better? How can I contribute and share what I’ve learned?

5. When You Feel Like You Don’t Have Direction

Not all those who wander are lost.

J.R.R. Tolkien

Do you feel like your life is scattered? Are you hopping from job to job to find your place in the world? When your purpose isn’t clear, and when you don’t commit to a path, you may find yourself wandering around all over the place. Some people equate wandering with freedom, while others experience anxiety without a more concrete plan.

Wandering isn’t a bad thing, however. It can be an excellent opportunity to stumble upon experiences and meet people you’d otherwise never encounter. Perhaps your seemingly scattered choices are secretly building a unique set of skills and knowledge that will make you more marketable in the future. As long as you’re learning and acting professionally, you’re doing fine.

Pro Tip: To find a balance between experimenting and committing, evaluate your priorities. Think about what is truly important to you. Maybe it’s a high salary, handsome benefits package, flexible schedule, or opportunity to move up the company ladder. The more you know what you want, the easier it is to spot jobs that align with your needs.

6. When You’re Not Sure Which Path to Take

If you’re not excited about it, it’s not the right path.

Abraham Hicks, Inspirational Speaker and Author

When you find yourself at a crossroads, there may not be any obvious cues to help you decide on a path. One way to simplify your decision is to ask yourself honestly: Which path excites me? If you’re going to be like the average American and spend eight hours each day working, why not do something that you enjoy? Why sit at a desk feeling miserable all day when you could be doing something that brings you happiness?

Pro Tip: Again, the more you approach life as one big lesson and experience, the less confused you feel when faced with a decision. There are no wrong paths. However, if you’re unhappy, it’s up to you to make a change.

7. When You’re Afraid of Change

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.

Elbert Hubbard, Author

Have you ever been so motivated to make a change, but then felt paralyzed when given the opportunity to do so? You get used to the status quo because you know what to expect from it. Change, however, leads you into the unknown, which can make you feel quite insecure.

The fear of change prevents forward progress in your career. Some changes may seem detrimental if they go sour, but they’re only harmful if you give up. When you approach life as an exciting challenge, there are no mistakes. You can always find your way through any circumstance as long as you accept the consequences of your decisions and keep moving forward.

Pro Tip: Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. It’s okay to ease into significant changes instead of cannonballing into a whole new life. Just continue making progress toward your goals.

8. When You’re Returning to Work After Being Away

You have no responsibility to live up to what other people think you ought to accomplish.

Richard P. Feynman, Physicist

It’s tough to enter the workforce at an older age or after being away for a while. You might fear your colleagues won’t value you despite your previous years of experience. Depending on your line of work, it’s possible that a lot has changed. You probably still know your stuff, but you might need to catch up on modern lingo and tools.

Try not to get discouraged or intimidated, though. Your unique experience is what makes you valuable. Think of all the life lessons you learned and how you’ve grown over the years. As long as you work hard and maintain a sense of self-worth, you’ll ramp back up to speed in good time.

Pro Tip: If you contracted COVID-19, need to self-isolate, or suffer from another work-related injury or illness and are ready to return to work, remote jobs are perfect for rebuilding your resume.

9. When You’re Uncomfortable with Technology

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.

Albert Einstein

Technology-related fears are common among Americans. The internet, cloud computing, email, and smartphones are ubiquitous in daily life today. Yet the technology is intimidating to some and the need to constantly learn new tools can be scary. Telecommuting jobs require you to understand and use different software applications and communication tools. They also need you to troubleshoot your own tech issues like computer crashes and Wi-Fi interference.

The good news is anyone can learn how to use computers and equipment. More good news is that there are tons of online courses to help. Plus, there’s no need to become an expert in everything. Know enough to show you can use the tools, then continue to learn tech skills on the job.

Pro Tip: Most telecommuting jobs require standard office computer software, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. They also use online applications, such as Slack, Dropbox, and SharePoint. Develop fundamental skills in commonly used software, then familiarize yourself with a few apps to get started.

10. When You Feel Like a Bad Parent for Working Hard

Children learn more from what you are than what you teach.

W.E.B. Du Bois

Immediately upon becoming a parent, you harbor guilt for not doing more or better for your kids. Though earning income for your family is essential, it’s heartbreaking to see disappointed looks on those sweet faces when you can’t play all day. It makes you question whether the income is worth more than time apart from your family.

Long sob story short, you need to work. Not only does work provide food, shelter, and security for your loved ones, it also teaches them how to live responsibly. Your positive affirmation for work: Your kids will see you working hard, so they may grow up to be hard workers themselves. Even if they don’t follow in your footsteps, you at least provided a strong example and showed them what it takes to support a family.

Pro Tip: Set regular work hours for yourself, then clock out when the workday is over. Dedicate the rest of your time to you and your family so that there is a clear delineation between work and home life.

11. When You’re Afraid of Success

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?

Marianne Williamson, Author

When you’re feeling apprehensive, you might assume that you’re afraid to fail. You don’t want to look foolish or incompetent if you mess up. However, the fear of success holds you back just as much as the fear of failure.

Success prompts responsibility. When you succeed, you feel pressure to maintain continuous success. It’s the “when you have something, you have something to lose” adage. However, if you crave success, it’s counterproductive to fear the very thing you desire.

If you can handle the pressure and challenge of reaching your goal, then you can handle the pressure and challenge of maintaining your rank. Your affirmation for career success is to believe that you are worthy of unbounded success and put in the sweat to make it happen.

Pro Tip: Keep the momentum going by continuously setting goals to attain. Successful people don’t stop once they reach the first milestone. They keep aiming higher and higher, and they don’t let failure interfere with their desire to succeed.

Make Remote Work Your New Year’s Resolution

While many people started working remotely because the pandemic initiated it, they realized they felt less stressed, enjoyed ditching the commute, and had a better work-life balance and want to continue working remotely. So, if you’re stuck in a rut and looking for a career change affirmation, check out the Virtual Vocations job database for positions that appeal to you.

Do you have any career affirmations you’ve used to motivate yourself or improve your job search? Connect with Virtual Vocations on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube to share your comments. We’d love to hear from you!