An University of Missouri-Columbia ^[1]research study ^[1] confirms what disciples of the Rev. Norman Vincent Peale ^[2]have known all along: There is power in positive thinking.

And an upbeat attitude channeled into a job search, it turns out, can lead to an equally positive result.

Daniel Turban ^[3], professor and chair of the Department of Management ^[4] at Mizzou’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business, ^[5] led the survey.

Academically, the team examined the Effects of Conscientiousness and Extraversion on New Labor Market Entrants’ Job Search: The Mediating Role of Metacognitive Activities and Positive Emotions. ^[6]

Translated, that means researchers looked at the personalities, demographics, emotions and the outcomes of the employment searches of 327 job-hunters.

The upshot: “We found, that … thinking about a plan, acting on a plan and reflecting upon that plan were important early in the job search while having positive emotions were important later in the job search,” Turban said in a statement released by the university.

Turban suggests that job-seekers plot a strategy, continually evaluate their progress and prepare emotionally for the inevitable rejections along the way.

“Some of these recommendations seem like they are common sense, but they are just not that common. People don’t have strategies, they don’t assess their plans, and they don’t think about their strategies and reflect on whether it’s working or how to make them work better,” he said.