10 Inspirational Quotes to Keep You Motivated During Your Job Search

Nancy Anderson
Posted by in Career Advice


Trying to maintain your focus and motivation throughout a long job search can prove difficult. You put in long hours tweaking your resume, shoring up your network and writing the perfect cover letter. Then you practice your elevator pitch, responses to 30 common interview questions and your handshake. After several rejections, and despite your excellent preparation, you start to feel discouraged.

Cheer up. Everyone has down moments in life, and many prosperous people had to go through tough times before they accomplished great things. Get a mental pick-me-up with these 10 inspirational quotes to keep you motivated during your job search.

1. Wayne Gretzky

NHL legend and all-time leading goal scorer Wayne Gretzky said, "You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take." Similarly, you never get a job if you do not try to apply for one. Keep taking shot after shot until you manage to score a goal and land a job. Eventually, you become so good at taking shots that one goes in because you've learned so much from the misses.

2. Milton Berle

Comedian Milton Berle's wisdom is ageless, especially when he said, "If opportunity doesn't knock, then build a door." If you have trouble finding a job, then build a professional reputation until someone takes notice of your skills, accomplishments and qualifications. Instead of waiting for others to notice you, do things that get noticed until an opportunity comes your way.

3. Sir Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill once said, "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." This is certainly true of a job search. Even if you fail a few times, maintain your enthusiasm, so you can turn your mistakes into valuable learning opportunities.

4. Katharine Whitehorn

British journalist Katharine Whitehorn said, "Find out what you like doing best, and get someone to pay you for it." This is always true as you try to find your perfect career fit. Commit your professional goals to paper, find out what job description syncs with your personality the best, and then put your passion to work. If you mold your greatest passions into a career, people pay you for it for the rest of your life.

5. Mark Twain

Famous American author and humorist Mark Twain said it best: "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you too can become great." Misery loves company, and negativity is contagious. That's why it's important to surround yourself with positive people who can prop you up and inspire you during your job search.

6. Confucius

Ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius spoke the truth when he wrote, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." Finding your dream job may take time and dedication, but the effort is well worth it, because once you land it, and you'll be getting paid for something you would happily do for free.

7. Marva Collins

Chicago educator Marva Collins believed that, "Success doesn’t come to you, you go to it." She started a preparatory academy in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Chicago in 1975. Collins faced many daily challenges as she tried to bring kids out of poverty, but she never let those difficulties deter her from following her dreams and doing what she thought was right.

8. Estee Lauder

Famed fashion mogul Estee Lauder told someone, "I never dreamed about success. I worked for it." A potential employer does not pay for your dreams; an employer pays for your work. Similarly, you need to work for every job opportunity that comes your way.

9. Henry Ford

Industrialist Henry Ford had this to say about becoming someone great: "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." This saying reflects that your attitude leads to success. If you believe you can do something, you can accomplish it. The opposite is also true.

10. Steve Jobs

Technological innovator Steve Jobs also believed that people should find out what they love to do. He said, "The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle." The same is true for a job search. Try not to settle, or you may become unsettled as you try to find your one true place in your professional life.

These inspirational quotes come from truly successful people who worked hard to achieve their dreams. You might not achieve the same scale of popularity or affluence as they did, but with the right attitude and the proper perspective on a job hunt, you can certainly find your ideal job that gives you the same level of satisfaction as they enjoyed.

Photo Courtesy of v.alabaz at Flickr.com

Comment

Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.

  • WALTER H.
    WALTER H.

    Quotes without the context of the person making them is like reading a fortune cookie. It is fun but really doesn't give you a tool to use them.

  • Eduardo O.
    Eduardo O.

    This a good help for students to follow their dreams!!!

  • Thembinkosi David M.
    Thembinkosi David M.

    Always stay motivated is key even when things not favor you

  • Prince E.
    Prince E.

    This is a great article .

  • Mitchell W.
    Mitchell W.

    These are all pretty good.

  • BENNETT K.
    BENNETT K.

    Just like a shot of B12!

  • Jacqueline Parks
    Jacqueline Parks

    I keep a list of inspirational quotes in my bathroom and read a few of them occasionally throughout the day. I change them periodically to keep it fresh. This article has given me some great ideas for quotes to include when I am looking for a new job. Thank you for the ideas!

  • Duncan  Maranga
    Duncan Maranga

    The quote by comedian Milton Berle sounds like a game changer on the job hunting arena, as it turns the ball to the employer's court. How can one can actually do things in the back yard to the extent of external recognition, when the job market is busy handling those that are already applying for jobs?

  • Shannon Philpott
    Shannon Philpott

    I cannot agree more with Steve Jobs' quote. If you settle in a position, it reflects within your work, productivity and overall morale. I changed careers twice in 10 years just to find a position that was something I loved. It was well worth it and I found that by not settling, I was able to improve myself professionally and personally.

  • Erin H.
    Erin H.

    I really like Steve Jobs' quote, and I find that his suggestion is quite right. Sure, we all need a job to pay the bills, but when you're not doing what you love, you're selling yourself short. It's not personally fulfilling to grind away day after day doing something that you're not engaged in. Doing what you love means following your passion, and that rarely feels like work.

  • Mia Greenwood
    Mia Greenwood

    Some of these quotes are lovely, but some are simply not realistic. Everyone wants to love what they do or get paid for something they already enjoy doing, but we can't always get what we want. Sometimes we need a job that pays the bills, or there isn't anyone who wants to pay us for what we like doing best. Those types of quotes don't resonate with me, unfortunately.

  • Hema Zahid
    Hema Zahid

    Would it be better to study the life histories of famous people to see how they overcame failures? If a person is struggling wouldn’t reading about the failures of a successful person motivate them more than just a quote? Motivational quotes are great for a quick boost in morale, but I wonder how effective they are in making a person successful.

  • Jane H.
    Jane H.

    In my experience, Henry Ford's quote is not only spot on, it's the most important of the set. There is a metaphysical quality to understanding how the mind affects our outcomes. Thoughts become things. We create our own realities depending on how we set our focus. If I want to accomplish something, I choose to think I can.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Shaday to make it in the work world you may have to grow some thicker skin. There are going to be times when things just are not going well at work and you will be reprimanded for something. What do you do in a case like that? You listen, respond if you need to, take the criticism to heart so that you can learn from it and then you move on. If you are looking for a position and you are not making it anywhere, ask why you were not hired. Maybe they will answer you, maybe they won't but you won't know unless you ask. Maybe it was your interview style. Maybe it was because you are not qualified. Maybe it's because your over overqualified. The only know to know for sure is to ask. As for expanding your network, you can try networking on LinkedIn or one of the other sites. You just have to be a bit aggressive sometimes and this would be one of those times. Check your local area for after work networking opportunities. I know in my area I am invited to a networking event pretty much every month. That came about because I was connected to a friend of a friend. The bottom line is that no one is going to do it for you.

  • Shaday Stewart
    Shaday Stewart

    Milton Berle is certainly right that creating your own opportunities is important for success, but if you lack confidence or start to take the rejections too personally, it can be difficult to hold onto your sense of self-worth. Does anyone have suggestions on how to keep your confidence level up in a bad job market or when you feel unqualified? What are some ways to get new opportunities in your area or through your network when no one you know is really hiring?

  • Abbey Boyd
    Abbey Boyd

    These quotes are great for motivation. Not only is this idea great to stay on top of a job search, but also for other parts of life. Find a quote that really resonates with you, and write it down. Keep it somewhere handy to be reminded often. This will help you stay on top of your goals and give you a boost when you feel yourself dragging.

  • Stanley Takurandidzonhamo N.
    Stanley Takurandidzonhamo N.

    Do not easily give up keep trying.

  • Lydia K.
    Lydia K.

    @William - I completely agree. You aren't settling if your game plan is to use the job as a stepping stone on your journey to the job/career you really want. Also you may need money to keep up with continuing education, maintain licenses, etc. so I believe it's better to have steady income coming in even if you're not in love with the job.

  • William Browning
    William Browning

    I know we shouldn't try to settle, but sometimes we don't have a choice. Sometimes we get a job we hate simply because we need the money. Having a job for six months as you try to find other employment isn't necessarily a bad thing. Albert Einstein's work at his local patent office allowed his mind wander from the mundane tasks he did during the day so he could ponder his theory of relativity.

  • Mike Van de Water
    Mike Van de Water

    When you inevitably fall on hard times during a job search, what kinds of other ways can you keep your spirits up and continue pressing on? The situation out there is pretty bleak sometimes and it would be nice to have a couple different ways to keep up a positive attitude.

Jobs to Watch