Snippets From The World Of Psychology - February 2009


The Economy, Jobs and You: 2009
Despite the apparent increase in the number of full-time jobs in Australia, overall unemployment has risen from 4.5% to 4.8% according to official statistics as released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday 12 February 2009. What is not evident from these umbrella figures is:

  • Job security fears are the worst for a generation (Westpac’s consumer unemployment index).
  • Official labour-force figures are yet to reflect the large cuts in mining, manufacturing, retail and finance over recent weeks, according to the Australian Financial Review of Friday 13 February 2009.
  • The ABS data need to be considered in the light of the greater variability in the sampling procedures and the reduced confidence intervals in the figures given that budgetary constraints have reduced the sample size by 25%.

    It is probably fair to state that employment issues can be addressed at various levels: government, industry, organisational, community and individual. The focus of this article is what the individual can do to manage their personal circumstances, but it is acknowledged that the interplay between the actions of these five groups will play a big part in determining the depth and duration of the downturn.

    There have been numerous articles in the press in recent weeks, many providing useful tips about job hunting and career search. So what does applied psychology have to offer?

    A good deal of the thrust in the media has been about staying positive and engaged with your current employer, business or job search endeavours. Ironically, one eminent psychologist now working on well-being is Daniel Kahneman, a joint winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2002. As we know so well, people make decisions that are not necessarily ‘rational’, in contrast with the traditional view of economics and the market economy. It is a pity that Robert Shiller’s book, Irrational Exuberance, published in 2000, did not gain greater traction at government, industry and individual levels [see also September 2008 Snippet].

    However, back to the issue of well-being and how this relates to one’s job hunt. If we are to stay positive, then what sorts of things can we do to boost our well-being? Daniel Kahneman recommends three things:

  • Change the way you use your time. Time is the ultimate finite resource.
  • Try to pay attention to things that make your life better, rather than concentrating on things that make your life worse.
  • Invest your time in activities to which you will continue to pay attention.

    Kahneman gives the example of when people buy a car, they will imagine themselves driving the car and enjoying it. However, for most of the time when you actually own the car and are driving it, you are not attending to it. However, when you are socialising with friends, you are attending to that activity. So there are activities that are attention-rich intrinsically. If there are good activities that are attention-rich, you should work on them – you should try to have a lot of them in your life. Kahneman believes that people do not do enough of this.

    Apart from this positive and attention-rich approach, what else can we do as individuals? Key elements include:

  • Differentiate between what you can control/influence versus what you can not.
  • Gain closure on certain issues so as you can focus on fewer, key matters.
  • Box any concerns: How do you eat an elephant?: Piece by piece!
  • Use a different label, for example: ‘challenge’ (or even ‘opportunity’) versus ‘problem’ or ‘mistake’.
  • Develop ‘SMART’ goals, write these down and make them public (at home at least):
    • Specific
    • Measurable
    • Achievable
    • Relevant
    • Time-based.
  • Draw on your network of contacts.
  • Structure your time (see S.M.A.R.T. goals as well).
  • Reward yourself for appropriate actions you have undertaken.
  • Use another person to act as your coach/guide/sounding board.
  • If you are in job search mode, engage with the process whilst also using the time to develop your skills and interests. Enrol in that course you never found time to undertake! Remember, personal development, skill development and learning are activities over which you have control. The outcomes can include increased self-worth apart from increasing your chances of securing a specific job. In addition, this may be an opportune time to re-focus and consider what is important to you and perhaps take action to realign your career.

    Diet and nutrition, exercise and relaxation are important elements, tapping into psychological, neurological and physiological processes. You can set S.M.A.R.T. goals (and feel and see the benefits), receive positive feedback from others, enhance brain functioning, increase serotonin levels (the ‘happy drug’) and lead a better quality of life in general.

    Go for it! Stay positive – try engaging in volunteer work in your local community while simultaneously enhancing your skills and sense of well-being through appropriate nutrition and exercise. Take comfort in knowing that following the above will enhance your well-being and increase your ability to deal effectively with change in both your work and personal lives.

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    Peter Macqueen
    Principal and Co-founder