Developing attitudes of Successful People: for the Unemployed/Self-employed 18 FEBRUARY, 2017 1

Definitions Unemployment: When a person who is actively searching for employment is unable to find work. Can be cyclical, frictional or structural Self-employment: Earning a living through working for/by oneself Offers independence and autonomy Cyclical (oil, seasons), frictional (between jobs), structural

What could happen? Debts piling Soliciting for assistance Lack of status Rejection from friends Isolation Lack of control Low morale and loss of confidence

Seeing possibilities

Where it all begins Know thyself! Most people fail in life because they do not know themselves Know your purpose, your passion and your potential Ask yourself: Who am I? What am I good at? What do I want to be? Where am I going? But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience II Tim. 3: 10

Where it all begins 2. Know God’s task for you And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do - Acts 9:6 Question: Where does God want me to be? What does He want me to be doing? This is the secret of effectiveness!

Seizing opportunities What is it that I want to achieve? E.g. a teaching job, a new business What do I need to achieve it? E.g. teaching license, company registration Who are those who can help me achieve it? What specifically does this opportunity look like? How will I know when it presents itself? Tips: Be curious, be confident, be proactive, be enthusiastic and be optimistic

Seizing opportunities Be curious: Ask questions, attend fairs, know job market trends, etc. Be confident: Don’t doubt your skills, strength and abilities Be proactive: take initiative, call recruiters, apply for funding Be enthusiastic: show passion and commitment Be optimistic: never give up even things don’t go as expected

General tips Make a great CV, ask for help if you don’t know how Set goals and develop an action plan (e.g. no. of applications per day, teach yourself a new skill) Start a course, re-training might be necessary Develop new skills e.g. computer skills, language, driving Do voluntary work to boost your work experience Develop a support network of friends, family and church members Be flexible about job type, location etc. Be selective in the jobs you apply for

Coping with rejection Take every rejection as a learning point If possible, ask for feedback and improve on them in subsequent applications Don’t dwell on the disappointments, focus on the new opportunities Don’t be afraid to turn down opportunities if you feel they are not right Don’t view rejection as a sign of failure, use it to develop resilience

No No No No No No No No No No No YES! Remember It takes one YES to reach your goal No No No No No No No No No No No YES! Never give up!

The bible says… “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” - Rom. 8:28 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. - Heb. 11:6 Luke 14:28,31

TIME TO PRAY!