Managing the Stress of Job Search

Traditionally, job seekers are individuals who have lost their job and are actively searching for their next career. However, with the economy starting to show signs of being re-ignited, we also find job seekers who are employed but eager to move on to something new. No matter what camp you come from, actively seeking re-employment or discreetly looking at what’s available, be aware that you are most likely dealing with additional stress and should be taking proactive steps to manage it.

For the laid off individual there are all the known job search stresses: getting your resume right, reconfiguring how you’ll make your budget work, stepping outside your comfort zone to network, and delivering an A+ performance during your interviews. In addition to keeping up the day-in and day-out appearance of being positive and upbeat, you’re also dealing with an internal emotional rollercoaster of hope one minute and rejection the next.

The employed worker hoping to transition to a better position is also dealing with these same emotional traumas, but may also feel the guilt of not being able to be honest with co-workers and employers. Keeping secrets and making up excuses add another layer of stress to the process. Even in the best of times psychologists place job loss or job change high on their list of life’s most stressful events. Our current weak job market adds to the complexity of job search challenges today, resulting in additional stress. Rather than trying to avoid it, it’s important to acknowledge that stress is a part of job search and learn to manage it.

The Survey Says…

We really don’t need a survey from the American Psychological Association or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to tell us that stress is not healthy. We also don’t need to see facts from the experts to know that individuals who take care of themselves, physically, emotionally, and spiritually have a better chance of getting through job search and career transition without major health complications. What we need is to pay attention to their suggestions about what we should do about stress.

Staying healthy and sane during job search is a challenge, no doubt about it. It’s almost like the ‘job search’ predicament comes with a license to neglect your health and position yourself as a victim rather than a survivor. That’s why the first thing experts tell us to focus on is our attitude and our perception of the challenge we are confronting.

As a Career Coach some of the first work I do with my clients is to guide them in reframing their situation: looking at it through a different set of lenses that provides opportunities for hopeful rather than victim positioning. Reframing the situation doesn’t take away the reality that you lost a job and perhaps a good salary. It just helps focus your thoughts on the future, rather than looking back at the past. The mind shift is to one of new opportunities – new potential roles and responsibilities, new city, new co-workers, new learnings, etc. All of these things, when accepted as a new reality, can bring joy, hope and excitement for the future.

We also know that finding a job is a job! It takes a lot of planning, and then time, commitment and patience to execute the plan. So naturally doing things in excess (eating, drinking, smoking, partying, worrying, etc.) are all on the BE CAREFUL – DO NOT DO THIS list as they will deplete energy required for a successful job search, adding to your stress level.

Visualizing the Future

A healthy and productive life-style can be embraced and maintained during and after a career transition by focusing on the following:

• Eating sensibly – One job seeker recently noted that his daily habit of cooking dinner served three purposes: the cooking itself helps alleviate stress, the meal is a well-earned reward for a hard day’s work, and the farm-produced food keeps his body healthy.
• Exercising regularly – This is a great time to use exercise to: break up the job search monotony, deal with any extra weight you may have put on at your last job, help improve your health (especially if you are currently underinsured), and develop good habits for after you start your new job.
• Managing stress – No doubt, job search comes with stress. The more we know about lowering ‘bad’ stress in order to manage health issues the better.
• Limiting consumption of alcohol – It’s easy to fall into bad habits when there isn’t a routine each day that demands waking up and dressing for “some kind of work” – be careful.

Stress and Work-Life coaches report that many individuals regardless of job status are turning to meditation, yoga, and tai-chi in addition to regular exercise workouts. They’re finding that these forms of breathing and exercise routines are excellent for managing stress. The Mayo Clinc offers several great articles on meditation, providing a step-by-step approach to making it simple. According to their research, meditation can give a sense of calm, peace, and balance that benefits both emotional well-being and overall health. There are several types of meditation to experiment with in order to determine which is best for you and your situation.

Steps for Managing Stress

As you consider where you are in your job search or career transition, think about how you can integrate some of these steps into your routine:

1. Do not internalize that there must be something wrong with you if you lost your job. Unfortunately, a lot of bad business decisions were made that have nothing to do with you; you just got caught up in their results. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in May, 2009 that 7.0 million people have been out of work since December 2007 in the US alone.
2. Focus on the things you enjoy doing and the things you do well. This will help you communicate your passions and direct your search towards the jobs you will most enjoy.
3. Consider the things you miss about your last job and the things that you want to experience in your next job. Thinking about these things will help you define what the workplace, culture, and values of your next employer should include.
4. Get organized and put routine into your day. Schedule your time just like you would in a work day. Develop a routine for networking meetings, information calls, writing thank you notes, exercising, etc. Look for business meetings and chamber of commerce events to attend. These provide opportunitiesto introduce yourself to business executives that might have a job like the one you are looking for, or they might know someone you should meet.
5. If you find that you can’t let go of your anger or the stress of your job situation, find someone you can speak to in order to get it behind you. Take advantage of emotional health benefits, if you have them, and stay in touch with former colleagues who can empathize with re-employment process. Surround yourself with positive-thinking, supportive people.
6. Proceed with caution, but if your relationship with your employer is one of openness and caring, share your concerns about your current career path and explore whether your perceptions about future opportunities are correct. Let them know that if you have to change companies to expand your career path, you just might have to consider it. Who knows, if they welcome the open conversation, you may find a new job offer in your future without looking outside the current firm. However, don’t take this step to be honest with them if you are not ready to change jobs tomorrow; they could decide to let you go.
7. Take care of yourself and treat yourself well. This approach will benefit you in a variety of ways and will also relieve the stress your family may be sensing and feeling as well.

Job search is a challenge. Just like with any challenge life puts in our road, we need to learn to deal with it; and managing the stress of this lifestyle change is critical to being successful. I’d appreciate hearing from you - what tips can you offer to help others manage their job search stress? Thanks for sharing.

Q&A
Dear Job Seeker Q&A:
I’ve heard two schools of thought on including an Objective Statement in your resume. Some say to include it, while others feel that it’s old fashioned and I shouldn’t waste precious space on my resume. What do you suggest?
- Sara W.

Check out Dear Job Seeker... to see my answer to Sara's question.