Managing Stress While Job Hunting

The process of finding a job can be stressful. If you haven’t found the right role yet, have too many applications to complete or have recently been rejected at an interview, stress and panic can start to creep in.

Keep reading to find out how best to approach a job search without escalating your anxiety. We’ve got some industry tips on how to focus on self-care and strike a good balance when looking for a new role in care and support.  

Tips for managing job search stress

Job hunting in itself can become a full time job. If you have to juggle a job hunt with other commitments, it can start to take a toll on your mental health. Taking the time for yourself and setting realistic goals is easier said than done. With that in mind, we’ve got some tips to help manage your expectations and handle the job search process like a pro. 

Perspective

One of the most challenging aspects of job searching is feeling like a failure until you secure a position. During the hiring process, it’s important to remember that many factors lie outside of your control, so you shouldn’t let your self esteem depend on your success. 

Instead, you should focus on the things that you can control.

Your goals should include writing excellent applications and delivering clear, well thought out answers to interview questions. Planning how you tackle an application is well within your control, who the company hires is not.

Set Limits

A job search can allow more and more worries to surface. You may be worried over finances or you may question your suitability for the career choice you’d aspired to. It’s important to experience and process the emotions, but don’t let them turn into worries. Worries can affect your sleep and performance, making your job search a lot more difficult than it needs to be.

If you stick to a schedule, choose set hours to carry out a job search and manage your emotions, your search will be over sooner than you expected. 

Keep Motivated

Job searching can seem menial and repetitive, it can take a while to get to your destination. Staying motivated can be a challenge, especially when the process already feels stressful. Instead of criticizing yourself or wondering why finding a new job is taking you so long, you can try and focus on positives to keep you motivated. 

Focus on the small wins and the things you’ve been doing right. Maybe you’ve found a job board or a website that lists roles that suit you well, or maybe you’ve been invited to an interview off the back of a cover letter you wrote. Experiencing and focusing on the positive parts of job searching is more likely to keep you interested and motivated in the process. 

Consider your Needs

An important part of any job search should involve identifying your needs. If you’re making too many compromises, job search will make you feel low and miserable, instead of fulfilling. Job applications make us focus on what an employer wants, which in turn distracts us from our needs. 

Taking a step back to reflect on what you want is imperative. Pressure and stress can make us say yes to any job offered, but each one should be carefully considered in order to ensure your needs will be met. 

Take Breaks

Focusing intensively on a job search for twelve hours a day increases the pressure and makes the process a lot more stressful. Setting specific hours and sticking to a job hunting schedule will help keep it seperate from the other areas of your life, but keeps you dedicated enough to see results. If you’re planning on spending all day looking for a job, make sure to take breaks and stay hydrated. 

Don’t let Stress Win

Prioritizing self care during a job search not only helps job seekers maintain their mental health in the short term, but it also helps provide long term benefits that extend beyond the job hunt process. The techniques and habits developed during this time can contribute to ongoing mental well being, improved work life balance and increased resilience in the face of future challenges.

By cultivating self compassion, mindfulness and self awareness, job seekers are better equipped to handle the demands on their future careers and personal lives. 

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While many aspects of job hunting can be stressful, the process shouldn’t become a burden that impacts your mental health. Change your perspective if you need help redefining success, and celebrate those small wins along the way.

Most importantly, don’t manage it alone.

If you’re applying to roles within care and support, employers do just that - they care and support their candidates as well as the individuals within homes and services; here at The SKA Group Ltd we’re no different.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your job search or simply need some guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We are here to help you navigate the job market, provide you with support and help you find the right job for you.