Everyone knows the grind of looking for a job can be stressful, so much so that it drives many people to take up smoking as a means of finding relief. You already know that smoking is bad for your health and those around you, but did you know it could also hurt your job prospects?
One study of job searchers in the San Francisco Bay Area found that nonsmokers were 30 percent more likely to find work than smokers after first participating in the research. So if you want to improve your odds of landing a job, it won’t hurt to have that extra bit of motivation to beat the habit.
Below are four steps you can take to quit smoking successfully.
Go Cold Turkey
The vast majority of smokers try to beat the habit without any external help — no medicine, no patches or therapy. Success rates for this method are low, however, with only 5 to 7 percent of former smokers remaining smoke-free after a year.
Success rates, increase with outside help in the form of support groups and nicotine patches. Scientists believe this method to be the best way to quit smoking.
Create a Quitting Strategy
Having a solid plan to quit smoking helps you to keep your eye on the prize, allowing you to hold on to your motivation whenever you’re craving a cigarette.
- Let your friends and family know you’re quitting.
- Have a target date for completely being smoke-free.
- Have a target date for staying smoke-free (your first month, your first six months and your first year).
Work With a Counselor
In many ways, your desire to smoke is an issue of mind over matter. Counseling sessions can help you identify your smoking triggers, whether it’s stressful situations, emotions or cravings.
Medicine and Nicotine Replacements
Quitting smoking has never been easier thanks to a wide variety of medicines and nicotine replacements on the market. Just choose from medications like Chantix or Zyban, or replacements like nicotine patches, sprays or lozenges.
For more pointers on how to improve your chances of a successful job search, talk to the staffing services consultants of Top Notch Personnel. Contact us today to find out how we can help.