Some people will go to great lengths to get their dream job, from sending cookies to an employer to taking out a Google ad.
But such efforts are unnecessary, according to a recent study. All you need to do, researchers claim, is smile.
Suffering rejection is bound to make job-hunters feel low, but keeping your spirits up is key.
Study: Apparently a winning smile is the key to success in an interview
177 unemployed people, on the hunt for a job, were monitored on a weekly basis by the team behind the study.
Their self-management, job search status and mental health was tracked, with researchers concluding that being motivated and positive can increase a person’s chances of landing a job.
Project: Ruth Kanfer,a psychology professor at Georgia Tech, was co-author of the study
Participants initially spent an average of 17 hours per week looking for a job, Yahoo reported, dropping to just 14 hours by the fourth month.
Their mental health started to drop as well as they struggled to deal with rejection and lack of success.
‘These findings show that the self-management strategies that people actually use make the key difference,’ said study co-author Ruth Kanfer, a psychology professor at Georgia Tech.
She added that a lack of feedback played a significant role in the blue moods of the participants.
‘Searching for a job isn’t like learning a skill, where maintaining a positive attitude may be easier as you see improvement with effort,’ Kanfer said.
‘You get almost no feedback on how you are doing or what you might do differently.’
The resolution? Kanfer insists that pro-activity is the key to maintaining motivation and giving off positive vibes.
She advised candidates to seek social support where they might receive feedback about unsuccessful applications.
The Academy of Management Journal study was conducted in conjunction with researchers at the University of Minnesota and Arizona State University.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2134787/Revealed-The-secret-interview-success--SMILE.html#ixzz1t40be2CF
