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How to Keep the Never-Ending Job Search from Getting you Down

When you spend a lot of your time looking for a job, you may feel like you’re faced with constant rejection.

It doesn’t matter how many people tell you that you shouldn’t take it personally because eventually you will. Why don’t these companies love me?!

But there are some practical steps you can take to keep yourself from getting dragged down by the never-ending job search. Here are 4 tips to keep your spirits high while you search for that next job.

Create a Structure

You will probably crave structure and control naturally, so it make sense that the uncertainty of not having a job can get you down.

Try and create a structure and boundaries around your job search.  Start by waking up at the same time every day, eating a healthy breakfast, then designating some time to your job search.

Commit to searching and applying to jobs for a few hours every day. Stay focused on the task at hand during that time. And when you’ve put in your time for the day, give yourself permission to enjoy the rest of your day. Get out in the fresh air, meet up with friends, read, whatever helps you relax and enjoy life. Little things like this can help you stay sane and focused on your ultimate goal.

Keep Yourself Organized

The more organized you are, the less likely you are to become overwhelmed (and adopt the defeatist attitude that often accompanies being overwhelmed).

If you’re using the structure mention above, you can rest assured that you’re working toward landing a new job every day. Now you just need an organized method of going about it.

Start with templates for each job type you’re applying for. Many of us don’t have just one single career path we’re 100% committed to. We have an idea of a few industries we might be good in. Your resume and cover letters should be tailored to each position, and that starts with a fitting template for each job title.

For example, you might be interested in jobs as an apartment leasing agent and jobs as an admin for real estate firms. While these are vaguely related fields, you’ll want to stress your sales experience and skill for the leasing jobs, and you’ll want to highlight your organizational and multitasking skills for the admin positions. Have resume templates for each position you’re interested in so you can quickly send a perfectly fitting resume as you apply for each position.

You might also want to break down your job search into much more manageable chunks. Designate time to research companies, time to draft resumes and cover letter templates, time to search job posting websites, and time to actually submit your application. If you lost your previous job as the result of an injury, then it may even be worth contacting some lawyers to see if they can give you a helping hand getting on your feet again.

Hiatus

Lining up a ton of interviews in a very short space of time can be a difficult process.

When you are feeling unmotivated and burnt out it’s important to pace yourself. You may even want to take a break from your job search altogether. After all, the last thing that you want is to disconnect yourself, as this can really harm your physical and even your emotional well-being.

If you are out of work, then take the time to recoup and also make sure that you physically rest too. It will also help you to work on some of the other life priorities that you have, such as deepening any network connections that you have or even finding a mentor that can help you to get back on top again.

Emotional Support

Searching for a job can stir up a huge amount of challenging emotions. It can also stir up a lot of self-limiting beliefs. But bottling all of these emotions up will cause even more stress.

You need to get these feelings out. Talk to a trusted friend, mentor, or family member about what you’re feeling. Let them give you a boost when you’re having a hard time boosting yourself.

And remember, this out of work thing is only temporary. You will land a new job. And you’ll come back stronger than ever!