Job hunting can often feel like a wild goose chase! No matter how many steps you run, there always seems to be an extra dozen miles between you and the job of your dreams. You might be unemployed and in need of finding a job with a steady income ASAP, or you might be stuck in a job you hate and can’t wait to make a change, fast. The stress seems to intensify with each passing day, as you have no idea why an employer never contacted you to set an interview or why they didn’t send you an offer letter.
Though it seems that stress is an inevitable outcome of searching for a job in a highly competitive region like MENA, we have some tips to help you overcome it. So, sit back, relax, take a deep breath, and check out this list of 3 tips to help you mitigate the stress that comes with your job search journey.
The process of going after a new job is inherently overwhelming and chaotic; emotions are fluctuating, and the future is clouded with uncertainty as our professional fate hangs in the balance. Having said that, it would make sense to lay down a structured plan to organize your job-hunting process and keep everything from tumbling down.
For example, set the intention of applying to a particular number of jobs in a given day, and no more than that. Once you hit that daily number, you’re free to give yourself a pat on the back and move on to something else (networking, revising and reviewing your CV and cover letter, preparing for interviews, etc.). Getting organized is the easy part, the hard part is sticking to the plan, so no matter what – you must hold yourself up to your target, every single day (or however many days you’d set per week).
This will help you take control of the job search process and will naturally keep you motivated and give that sense of empowerment that will make you coast through the lows.
When you’re searching and applying for jobs left and right, you’re bound to feel drained at the end of the day, knowing full well that you’ll have to wake up first thing in the morning and do it all over again… It’s easy to fall into the trap of adopting a defeatist mindset and to keep projecting worst-case scenarios like (“Oh, they’re never going to read my CV”, or “I will never hear back from this employer”, etc.)
And you know what? That’s perfectly fine. No one said job hunting is going to be an easy venture. A lot of experts consider the process of looking for a job as a job in and of itself. One of the most valuable pieces of advice we can give you is to acknowledge those feelings of despair as part of the journey, but NEVER give in to them completely. If you’re feeling defeated when you’ve been putting your all into finding that perfect job with no luck, take a step back and look at how far you’ve come, and how much you’ve learned along the way.
Remember that these uncertain times will not last forever. Besides, running yourself down into burnout-land will do more harm than good in the long run. Give yourself a break if you need to but keep going anyway. You’ll get there eventually.
Oftentimes, the best course of action is to stop, step away from the computer, and give yourself a well-deserved break. When you’re starting to feel overwhelmed and wonder how you’ll ever keep going through this non-stop loop, because you’re just that spent, that’s a big sign you need to call it a day. Listen to your body (and mind) and move your focus to something not related to job hunting.
Rest and recuperation will result in efficient and high-quality work. One cannot exist without the other. Whether you want to start doing rigorous research on a potential employer, or draft a compelling cover letter, or show up at your best for an interview… you’re always better off feeling well-rested, relaxed, and ready to give it your best shot!
Moving forward
The journey to landing the perfect job can seem monotonous and never-ending. However, we hope that the above tips will help you manage the stress and anxiety that come with job hunting and facilitate the way to employment. One last nugget of wisdom that we would like to leave you with is: Ask for help.
That’s right. Whether the help is coming from a friend or a family member who have gone through this journey before, or it’s professional help from career experts and career services, there’s nothing wrong with asking for help when you’re feeling anxious, instead of throwing in the towel.
Only then will landing the job of your dreams will become a matter of not if, but when.
