This article will highlight how people generally respond to distress; and especially the distress of job search pressure and how to manage that stress and the results of your job search by effectively dealing with job search pressure.
The conventional wisdom surrounding people’s responses to pressure typically revolve around two behavior models: The type A personality, who becomes consumed with anxiety over pressure situations, and has a tendency to become angry and unreasonable; and the type B personality, who remains unaffected and carries on with business as usual.
However, among psychologists, a third type of personality has emerged: type C. Type C personalities actually thrive on pressure, turning in their best work under stressful circumstances. The big difference between type C and types A and B seems to be the ability to commit to a task without making the process about their own egos.
Apparently, the type A personality unconsciously ties their feelings of self-worth to success in the area of work and career. When a situation arises that puts performance pressure on this type of person, they perceive it as a threat to their self-image – the way they perceive their value to themselves and friends and loved ones – and thereby respond from a place of fear and panic.
The type B personality has successfully avoided tying up their finance self-image with their employment, but in such a way that he or she is minimally, if at all, emotionally engaged in work and career. While the type B personality does not give in to the mania that will affect a type A, they also have little motivation to step up to the plate and deliver if job search circumstances demand extra commitment.
The type C personality, on the other hand, seems able to commit to whatever time and effort is required to bring in a job search goal on a tight schedule and budget.
Many of us would like to assume we are that resourceful type C personality; and the truth is… even if you are currently a type A or type B, you can become a type C personality by consciously choosing how to respond to any situation, instead of simply reacting from emotional upset or disconnection from a required task. It takes discipline, willpower and presence of mind to choose to respond in a mature, productive fashion; but with practice, those personality skills can become habit, and your job search life will change for the better.
A major part of becoming a type C personality is to recognize vicious cycles in your behavior. There are telltale signs that you are entering a destructive cycle of emotion motivated reactions to pressure filled job search situations. Whether your emotions kick into overdrive, and you become an abusive, overbearing person, or your emotions shut down and you simply refuse to invest in what’s going on around you, learn to spot the symptoms that signal the start of these cycles. For example, some people start losing sleep, or drinking too much coffee or alcohol. Some people turn inside themselves, and stop communicating and socializing with others. Whatever the early behaviors are that signal to you