Understanding the Locus of Control in Your Job Search

Next Step Navigator is a career newsletter mixing real talk with real advice to help you tackle the job hunt and carve out your own unique path. It’s like grabbing a coffee with a mentor who shares stories and strategies to boost your confidence and guide you towards making strategic, meaningful career moves.

Two weeks ago, I wrote about career development as a ‘series of small steps’ and that making tiny, incremental moves can help you get over ‘analysis paralysis’.  Generating and maintaining forward momentum is so important in any job search.  After all, job searching is not easy and is full of ups, downs, anticipation, waiting and lulls.

People don’t always talk about the lulls.  The times when you haven’t seen any new job postings.  When you’ve had 2 interviews and are waiting to see if you’ll be invited to the third round.  The times when you’ve sent out a bunch of applications and are waiting for responses. Maintaining a sense of optimism in the face of lulls can be SO DIFFICULT.  You need tools to let go and keep moving forward.

Enter a useful psychological concept: your locus of control.

I’m not a mental health professional, but I’ve been privileged to work with several and the locus (or circle) of control is a popular concept that I think can be helpful when applied to job searching.  It can help you navigate uncertainty, maintain forward momentum and safeguard your mental well-being.

Understanding Locus of Control

In psychology, the term "locus of control" refers to the extent to which individuals believe they have control over their lives and the outcomes they experience. It's divided into two categories:

1. Internal Locus of Control: People with an internal locus of control believe that their actions, choices, and efforts play a significant role in the outcomes they achieve. They often feel empowered and able to take responsibility for their lives.

2. External Locus of Control: Those with an external locus of control tend to attribute their life's outcomes to external factors, such as luck, fate, or the actions of others. This can sometimes lead to feelings of helplessness.

These are not fixed traits and people vacillate between these two poles, but it’s good to have a broad understanding of the concept and be able to recognize where you might sit within it before applying it to a job search.

The Power of an Internal Locus of Control in Your Job Search

When it comes to the job search, having an internal locus of control can be a game-changer. 

Here's why:

1. In the job search, many factors are beyond your reach.   You want to concentrate on the elements over which you have influence.

2. Viewing your job search as a process you can influence gives you a sense of empowerment. It reduces feelings of helplessness and boosts motivation.

3. An internal locus of control fosters resilience. You're more likely to bounce back from rejections or setbacks because you understand that your efforts play a vital role in the outcome.

4. When you recognize your role in your career journey, you become open to learning and growth. Every experience, whether positive or negative, is an opportunity to enhance your skills and knowledge.

Nurturing Your Internal Locus of Control: Four Key Steps

1. Identify What's Within Your Control. Start by recognizing the elements of your job search that you can influence.

You can’t control whether a recruiter selects you for an interview, how many postings go up, if someone responds to an informational interview request, or if you get offered a job post-interview.

You do, however, have control over these related actions:

• Learning techniques to craft a stellar resume

• Strategically searching for additional postings by changing up job titles, organization-type, search tools, etc.

• Using LinkedIn as a research tool to find additional folks to reach out to

• Practicing and honing your interviewing skills

2. Set Realistic Goals.  “Get a job in X months’ is not totally realistic.  Establish achievable goals that are within your control. For example, research 10 companies of interest or send a certain number of informational interview requests.

3. Focus on Your Efforts, Not Outcomes: Shift your attention from the final outcomes (like landing a job) to the efforts you put in (like improving your interviewing skills).  Accept what you can’t control and move on.  

4. Seek Support: Find the folks that will listen to you vent, lament and also celebrate your progress.  Taking on any big task in isolation makes it feel that much more monumental.  Share your journey to help lighten the load.   

There’s no single psychological concept, job search trick or mindset shift that will make job searching an easy breezy experience.  It’s stressful, full stop.  There are, however, ways to ease the psychological burden and recognizing what’s inside and outside of your control in the job search is key to navigating the process.

Have you applied this concept to a job search?  Do you think it would be helpful? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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