5 Ways to Crush Anxiety When You’re Looking for a Job
By: Jessica Gramc
Tags: Mental Health, Anxiety, Work, Job Search, Resume

I know the feeling well. That dread and sinking feeling you get when you’re unemployed and can’t find a job.

It’s almost like a rite of passage for any working adult at one point in their lives. When you are involuntarily unemployed, it can be scary and overwhelming.

The anxiety that you feel, after searching for months, takes hold and it’s hard to think about anything else. You’re up all night worrying and so stressed during the day. That alone can make it even harder to find a new job.

It’s a vicious cycle of hope after an application or interview and despair when nothing comes from it.

Just hearing the comments from others saying “don’t stress out about it, you’ll find something,” makes you want to scream.

We’ve all been there.

Fortunately, there are ways to cope with anxiety like this.

Get yourself organized

It’s hard to focus on finding a job when you don’t know where you are at, what you need and how long you have to figure it out.

You need to sit down and lay everything out on the table. Don’t miss anything.

Figure out how much money you have saved and how long it can last you without a paycheck.

Get a list of your skills and experience and figure out which jobs you are going to target.

Update your social profiles like LinkedIn. Make sure they are full of keywords and skills to get you noticed and found by recruiters.

Get your resume updated and ready to go. This article will help you get started:

Write down anyone and everyone that you know that will help you find something.

Make sure your phone and internet are paid and working — if you are unreachable then it will be 10x harder to find a job.

Heck, even set a few outfits set aside for interviews so you don’t need to think about it once the time comes.

The key here is to make sure all the little details and issues you need to worry about are on autopilot for as long as possible. You need to focus on getting back to work.

Get online and do some research.

Once you’ve got your list of what you’re looking for handy, it’s time to go out and find it.

Get ready to bookmark some web pages!

Make a routine of when you are going to check the different job boards. Figure out how often and which ones you like.

I suggest looking first on Indeed, ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Career Builder, FlexJob or even just Google.

Search for the jobs you want on each job board. Save those searches and turn them into alerts so you can get emails when new jobs open up.

Do some research on different companies you want to work for and then go follow them on LinkedIn. Recruiters can search for people that follow their company.

All this research helps you feel more informed and in control. This can help lower the amount of anxiety you feel from powerlessness.

Don’t hold back on applications.

I see it all the time from clients, friends and family that I work with as a resume writer.

They are scared to apply to different jobs they want because they feel like they aren’t good enough.

Go back and review that list you created of your skills and experience. You are amazing and are worthy of any job that you want and have the experience for.

What’s the worst that happens? You get a rejection email? They ghost you?

Just create a folder in your email and make a rule that moves every email containing the word “unfortunately” into it. They all say the same thing…

“Thank you for your interest in XYZ! We reviewed your application and have unfortunately decided to move forward with a candidate who more closely matches the position.”

Big whoop! This email just means you tried! You did good.

Just keep moving forward and sending in as many applications as you can.

Make yourself a promise.

I want you to make yourself a promise that you will not settle for a job that is less than you deserve.

I know when you’re scared and anxious that it can be easy to just take anything that is offered to you.

Sometimes you just need some money right now and are willing to settle for something you don’t want.

I get it.

If you have to take a lesser job for the money, make sure it’s doing something that will help you grow or learn a useful skill. Use it as a stepping stone to get back on track.

If you can wait though, it’s worth it.

Making that promise to yourself, and sticking to it, can give you a foundation that can fend off your anxiety.

When in doubt, just keep going.

I hate adding this one here, but when it’s tough and you aren’t getting any responses…. just keep going.

There is absolutely a zero chance that you will never work again.

In today’s market, job seekers are actually in the better position! As a recruiter, it is super hard to find people to fill my jobs right now.

The “Great Resignation” can play to your advantage. Take a minute to internalize that and keep on keeping on.

I know. Easy to say but hard to do. Especially when every day that passes just draws you deeper down the rabbit hole that is anxiety.

You have so many options for help at your disposal now a days. There are tons of free resources to help you!

Reach out to someone you trust for help. You don’t have to go through this alone.