The energy which usually blocks our intuition is fear. When we are afraid it limits our ability to process information effectively. Becoming aware of what stops your growth and development will help you navigate the job market with greater confidence and clarity.

Here are six ways to pay attention to the free-flowing classroom that all of us are experiencing in life:

1. Pay attention to the people or circumstances that make you fearful. Set the intention to create an opposite experience then what you typically feel when someone or something makes you afraid. If you know that interviewing makes you nervous take time to mentally prepare on all the levels. Record yourself role playing the answers to the questions you intuitively feel will be asked and practice at least two answers. Think of your statements as being “mini commercials,” and sell yourself and your strengths and abilities in short, concise statements.

2. Listen to your intuition. When you develop a healthy relationship with your inner technology it will appear like a trusted friend and alert you when things don’t feel or sound right. Paying attention to your “interior vision,” will allow you to focus on how your body is processing different experiences.

3. Lift up your energy before a meeting or interview. Astute interviewers look for individuals who make them feel good. The critical point is that you must be authentic. Forcing energy that you are not feeling can be easily detected. That’s why you must take time to mentally, physically, emotionally and even spiritually prepare before you sit down for any important meeting. Fine tuning your energy field allows others to easily feel a positive flow coming from you. An excellent example of an individual who knows how to work with energy effectively is Ellen Degeneres. She starts her show by playing music and dancing around the studio with her audience. Everyone becomes engaged at an energetic level and believes they will have a great time. Determine what raises your energy and use it before going to an interview or an important meeting.

4 Make a gratitude list. It is easy to focus of all the things we do not have in our lives. This is a simple technique which is easy to do even if you don’t have a pencil. If you are alone, say the list out loud. It can be particular helpful if you find yourself feeling bad after a situation didn’t go the way you hoped.

5. Know what lifts your energy. Being able to soothe yourself is a valuable tool for being able to recover from everything from a so-so job interview to getting the news that you were not the selected candidate. Staying in a down energy field will limit your ability to rebound quickly for that next opportunity!

6. Avoid absorbing other people’s fears. Distancing yourself from people who are energy drainers is critical. Decide who builds your energy and choose to be with individuals who make your spirit soar! This is particularly difficult when the energy drainer in your life is either a dear friend or family member. Taking mini breaks from energy sappers isn’t being selfish…this allows you to take care of yourself so you will radiate positive energy needed to land that perfect job!

In the book, The Daughter Trap by Laurel Kennedy, she describes the emotional turmoil women face in today’s tough job market, “Busy caregivers running from commitment to commitment rarely make time for personal inventory to assess what is happening with them.”

According to Kennedy, many women intuitively know that the burden of caring for elderly parents typically falls on their shoulders. She says leading edge baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1955) are grappling with new technologies and are extremely vulnerable to market fluctuations making them prime candidates for cutbacks and downsizing of positions.

AARP predicts as many as 30% of employees will be elder care providers. Half of American workers are expected to be caregivers by 2013. With women carrying the bulks of the responsibility when it comes to taking care of older parents and family members, decisions about what jobs to apply for are often based on the needs of others. This results in them earning less money and being ill-prepared for when they retire.

The Daughter Trap provides one of the most detailed and thought-provoking analysis of the price women pay in taking care of others. There are number of pitfalls that baby boomers need to be aware of when it comes to looking for work.

Developing a youthful demeanor is critical in today’s job market. Negative stereotyping holds true for anyone over 50. Older workers who lose a job will find themselves competing against much younger people who also have less responsibilities outside of work.

In a 2008 study, half of 2,000 respondents cited ageism as the most prominent form of discrimination in the workplace.

Communicating a willingness to accept new ideas is a strong point to emphasize in any job interview. Give examples of groups you interact with that show a wide range of ages. Record your voice and carefully evaluate how you sound over the phone. Make an effort to be peaceful inside no matter what is going on in your person life.

Ask a younger person to evaluate your interview outfit. Modify your hair and glasses if necessary to be more competitive. Keeping a positive outlook is also critical. Preparing for a job interview requires baby boomers to be highly organized, because you must allow time to prepare and manage your caregiver responsibilities. Astute interviewers are highly intuitive and can tell when a person’s energy is low. According to Kennedy, women who admit to being involved in elder care are often viewed as being unreliable job candidates.

Corporate America is often responsive to the needs of children but no so when it comes to providing for the needs of the elderly. The companies that are cited as being the most helpful with their employees working with older parents are: Pitney Bowes, General Electric, Pepisco and IBM.

The prime variable in highly competitive searches is the creativity you bring to your cover letter.  One client who worked in an HR Director capacity showed me a cover letter which conveyed the same message many other candidates would.  I challenged her to reach for a more inspirational tone by imaging the style of  Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, to describe herself to a potential employer.

This subtle shift released a flow of creativity that resulted in a new draft being done in a matter of minutes.  A person with initiative can become more creative by simply looking to others they admire for inspiration.

In the book, Transformational Speaking by Gail Larsen, one of the key ways to achieve star quality is by a shift in pacing to wake people up. This can be accomplished verbally and non-verbally, as my client did with her letter. The “verbal punch” you present can mean the difference between landing an interview spot so you will stand the best  chance of winning that coveted position.

Older job candidates also face the challenge of being flexible.  As we brainstormed possibilities, my client was open to interviewing for a part-time position recommended by a respected colleague.

Taking the part-time position may not be necessary though, because my client’s cover letter and resume resulted in her triumphing over a large number of candidates to earn a crucial seat at the interview table.  I’ll keep you posted on the progress of her three -month job search.

As the output of technology and the interactions of communications get speeded up, job candidates run the risk of presenting the same message again and again, resonating the energy of who we think we are and not opening ourselves up to our intuition to expand.