Here are some recent comments made from a group of job candidates looking to change jobs. I wish I could say this group’s outlook was unique, but when they described their next career steps, their comments underscored how anxiety can influence a search for something new.
“I am 61 and wonder if that is preventing me from receiving a job offer, I had a good interview yesterday with a company that could use my international knowledge.”
“I’m very anxious in starting a job search, it’s been years since I have been in the job market and not sure I will blend in.”
“No one is calling me back. I must not be that marketable.”
“I will never get the chance to earn what I made in the past.”
“I have called on all of my networking contacts, no one is hiring.”
If any of these comments sound familiar, it could be a sign that anxiety is lingering around, and as harmless as it may seem, it could hinder your desire for a new start.
It’s human nature to question things when they don’t go as planned, even though you are sending in numerous applications and talking with everyone you know. Job search anxiety is part of the process in finding your next opportunity, especially during a COVID-19 climate of uncertainty.
The positive side of anxiety can be leveraged to help energize your meetings, join online groups, change the way you look at job searching and introduce new habits in your life for the better.
The comments above are good examples of how anxiety creates a chain reaction that leads to more of the same. This is the type of anxiety that can stop a healthy job search dead in its tracks. When anxiety is in charge, your job search suffers as well as your ability to be creative.
Here are some ways to cope with anxiety during a job search:
• Make sure you get enough rest, nutrition, and exercise. Use stress to motivate you in a proactive way.
• Develop a good job search plan and follow it. Having a plan is a great way to reduce anxiety. Make sure you talk with positive people and avoid putting yourself in situations that bring you down, such as listening to people complain – those who are giving up their career goals and who are negative. Stress builds when there is a vague sense of direction.
• Ask a friend to talk with you on a regular basis to discuss your progress. A good accountability partner helps you receive feedback and can be extremely helpful and encouraging.
• Do something active each day. The issue with anxiety in job searching is not so much the feeling but rather the inactive state anxiety can cause. The most common features of anxiety are dealing with the unknown and avoiding rejection.
• Be kind to others and offer to help them. One of the best remedies for dealing with anxiety is to focus on helping others. Kindness often attracts positive energy and creativity needed to solve problems.
• Keep realistic expectations. Your expectations of what a job search is supposed to be will often rule your thinking. If you expect a career change to be hard and difficult with lots of rejection, it most likely will. If you expect a job search to be one of learning new skills, strengthening your career goals and growing in self-knowledge, it most likely will.
Anxiety is a common emotion during a job search because the unknown is always present with potential opportunities just around the corner. Often the fear in your mind looms larger than reality.
Here is a good mantra to keep in mind every day: plan, talk to others, feel the anxiety, and move forward.
How does anxiety effect your job search? What did you do to overcome it?
Kimberly Thompson is a national board-certified counselor and coach. Send questions to kim@careerrescue.com or visit her blog at https://blog.chron.com/careerrescue/