Looking for a job these days can take its toll on job seekers. It is now taking between 29 – 32 weeks to find employment. Alongside with being focused and branded, it is important that job-seekers know their motivational needs, or what drives them to get out of bed daily and look for a job. Looking at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, there are five levels of needs that drives one towards their goals:
1. Physical Needs – these are the most basic of needs for survival, such as air, water, food and shelter
2. Security Needs – these needs include feeling safe, secure and protected
3. Social Needs – this consists of the need to feel connected, to interact with others, to belong, to have friendships and to be loved
4. Self-Esteem Needs – these are needs based on one’s ego-strength and the need to be accepted and respected by others
5. Self-Actualization Needs – these are the needs of achievement and self-motivation
Job Hunters may find they have a dilemma between wanting to have good self-esteem and to self-actualize but find they are in survival mode. Having a job-search strategy with a feedback system will help to keep focused and staying the course. Tapping into the social needs will aid in finding support and acceptance when things are not going well. Knowing where you are on the hierarchy can help to understand where you are in life and then to find the resources you need to help you to survive, to feel safe and secure until you find work again.
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