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ometimes I think my computer is out to get me. When I am really busy and quite focused, it stumbles. It never fails. When I am with a client and I want to show him something on my computer or search for something on LinkedIn with her, it stutters. When I am under a deadline and must print that critical paper before leaving the office, it clutches its chest and groans. Imagine being undone by a tool!
Yet today sitting at my desk basking in the warm sunshine of a lovely spring morning with an open schedule, my computer is well behaved and cooperative. What the heck?
Do I get a new computer? Or is the universe trying to tell me something? What should I take away from this insight?
I remember when my daughter was very little. I realized over time that when I was upset, she was upset. When she was upset, the only way to calm her down was to calm myself down. She always responded. It took a lot of screaming sessions for me to figure this out.
My theory is that my energy creates a response in the world. When I send out high energy excited vibes, I get a reaction from people and perhaps even my equipment. Sometimes that reaction serves me well, like when I am trying to convince a group of people that my way is best or when I am speaking to a large crowd of people. When I am calm, people respond calmly. When I deal with an angry person, calmness on my part can calm the situation. Is this magic or are we on to something?
Perhaps my computer is getting highly agitated vibes from me when I am rushed or in a big hurry. It could also be possible that when I am rushed and agitated, I hit more keys more quickly than the computer can handle and it responds by shutting down. Maybe that is why the IT person used to tell me to turn off the computer and count to 20.
If it is possible with people, perhaps it is possible with equipment, especially equipment with buttons pressed by harried people like me.
Has this happened to you?
If our children and our computers respond to our agitation, what happens when we are nervous or agitated when we go into an interview? Is it possible to keep that stress inside? Or are we unknowingly sharing that anxious energy with the rest of the folks in the room? How does that make us look? Does a high level of anxiety project the confidence you want to show? Are you undermining your best efforts with your agitation? Perhaps…
Try this experiment. The next time you feel tension or agitation rising, take a deep breathe and count to 20. Maybe close your eyes or walk away for a minute. Take a few deep breathes, let it out slowly. I bet you will feel your tension calming just a bit.
You must be calm, confident, and courageous in a job search. Projecting calmness makes you look like a winner. It makes you look like the person who should get the job.
Like this article? You might be interested in these other blogs:
“What NOT to bring to an interview”
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