Are you feeling a little unglued? If you’ve been looking for a job and you can’t find your car keys, you may have a few gremlins messing with your mind. Let’s take a look at what they’re up to and what you can do about them.

The Fear gremlin can keep you stuck to the place you’re standing, particularly if you haven’t had much experience job hunting. The Anger gremlin can fight your desire to look for a job, and instead, look for plenty of ways to get in a fight.

That’s what’s going on now. What happened back then?

You saw the layoffs coming, but the Procrastinating gremlin urged you to wait them out. You wanted to cut and run but the Macho gremlin advised you to hang tough and help your employer through tough times. You wanted more money, not less, but the Rationalizing gremlin said it was OK to work more hours for less pay, because you wanted to keep your job. The Wavering gremlin kept weighing your options and the Helpless gremlin cried, “Why me?”

The “It’s not my problem” gremlin told you to keep your head down and stay busy when your friends and co-workers were asked to leave. The “I don’t want to talk about it” gremlin stonewalled discussion with the family, and the “Put on a happy face” gremlin insisted you act like everything was normal.

So, every few months a few more people got the word to pack up their stuff because they wouldn’t be coming back. And the Anxiety gremlin would gnaw at your gut, and tell you that your name was somewhere on the list, and you needed to prepare yourself for who knows what.

And as prepared as you wouldn’t let yourself be, and as prepared as the family couldn’t be, you were staggered by the “Say it ain’t so” gremlin that accompanied the grim news that finally, it was over.

You needed a plan for “what’s next” and that’s when the Unglued gremlin introduced itself and you haven’t been thinking straight since.

Now’s the time to line up all those grouchy gremlins, stand them at attention, and send every one of them packing. You have work to do and they’ll just get in the way if they’re hanging around.

Roll up your sleeves and turn what can feel like an overwhelming task into a series of doable projects. Start with your resume. Keep it straightforward, easy to read, and focused.  Bullet- point your accomplishments and quantify your results. Ask people with business experience to proof read for organization, content, and spelling.

Next, assemble your references. Select individuals who have supervised your work and are ready to support your candidacy for positions that match your abilities.

Get your interview clothes cleaned and pressed, your shoes shined, and your shirts starched and ironed. You have one chance to make a good impression so make that one chance count.

Get to your interview on time. On time means on time; not too early, and don’t even think about being late.

Know what you’re talking about. Nothing falls flatter more quickly than an over-inflated attitude and an underdeveloped track record.

Do your homework. Read about the company, learn what they make, what they do, and where it’s done. Questions are good, good questions are even better, so be sure that you have them.

Well written, clearly articulated, quantified accomplishments separate success from whatever’s in second place. You can’t (ethically) make up what you haven’t done, so if you don’t have a track record worth bragging about it’s going to show. Spend some quality time reviewing your past work experiences and you might just surprise yourself by scaring up some contributions you’ve made to the companies you’ve joined.

You’ll probably do a little salary negotiation before all is said and done, so prepare yourself. Know what you need so you’ll know when to walk and when to talk. And remember, money-talk should be last, not first, on your interview agenda.

So banish the gremlins and the baggage they bring. Take a deep breath, present yourself well, ask discerning questions, and make the case that proves you have what it takes to get the job done.