How to look after your mental health when job-seeking

Applying for jobs can be draining. There’s the pressure of completing job applications and interviews, there’s the weight of what would happen if unsuccessful, there’s the rejection, and there’s our own self-judgement. It’s a stressful time and can drain your energy and confidence. 

One in 6.8 of us experience poor mental health during our working life so it’s vital that we take care of ourselves. To protect our mental health during a period of job hunting it’s vital that we practice self-care and be kind to ourselves. Here are some top self-care tips. 

Set clear boundaries

Protect your time. If you’re working full-time alongside job-seeking, allocate specific periods that are for your job search outside of your working day. Make sure this time doesn’t eat into your own self-care.

Give yourself time for looking at roles and researching them, time to chat with recruiters, and time to apply for jobs. 

Where possible, avoid late-night job hunting, or scrolling on LinkedIn before bed as exposure to screens can damage your sleep.

If you’re currently out of work, it is still vital to have time off from job-seeking. Make sure you plan your time as if you were working, and plan in self-care, exercise, and other tasks alongside job-seeking. 

Be focused

It’s easy to apply for every role you see, especially with features such as LinkedIn Easy Apply and similar features on jobs boards. However, this will mean that you waste time on applications you shouldn’t have made (such as job interviews and screening calls) which would be better spent on a focused application. 

From the beginning of your job search, have clear goals in mind. What kind of company do you want to work for, what sort of team, what kind of role, and what kind of working pattern? Stick to what you want.

As soon as you put yourself out there as a job seeker you’ll most likely start getting approached by recruiters who will want to put you forward for roles that aren’t the right fit. Protect your energy and politely decline. 

Set yourself goals and reward yourself

Setting a goal such as, “I’ll have a new job in four weeks time” is unrealistic and out of your control. Instead, set goals within your reach, such as doing one hour of job hunting and job applications per day.   

Whether you achieve something big or small, reward yourself. If you’ve managed an hour a day of working towards your career goals, perhaps give yourself Sundays completely off so that you’re refreshed and relaxed for the week ahead. 

Keep your mind on the present

This is something that is a key part of mindfulness and can be applied to job hunting too. The principle is simple, don’t focus on the past as it can not be changed. Perhaps you’ve had a bad job interview or had a knockback that’s really hit your confidence. Learn from this, but don’t dwell on it, instead focus on the job search at hand. 

This is especially important if you’ve been job hunting for some time. Don’t count up the weeks, days, and hours you’ve spent on this, just think about what your focus is at this moment. 

Follow your gut

This can be as simple as recognising that you’re too tired to job hunt and need some time off or getting a bad feeling about an employer during an interview. 

Recruiters often joke that a candidate referring to them just having a gut feeling about a job is the worst feedback they can receive, as it’s intangible and doesn’t make it easier for them to find another suitable candidate. However, ignore us for a second and ensure that you follow your instincts. 

Apply without judgement

Most are aware, at least vaguely of the claim in Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In, that women only apply for roles if they are 100% qualified, and men apply if they meet just 60% of the requirements. In truth, it is far less binary, and something we should all be mindful of. 

Have you ever seen your dream role and talked yourself out of it because you’re never going to get it, even if you’re perfectly qualified? 

When you find yourself judging a job opportunity, try to understand where your own reactions come from. Sure, you might not have every qualification needed in a job description, a lot of us don’t, but if you’re close, go for it. 

If you’re still worried, see if you can have a call with the recruiter or the person who is hiring for the role to get a better idea of the role and what and who they’re looking for. 

Ask for help

Job applications can be a lonely task. Whether you need a friend to rant to after a particularly bad job interview experience or you just need someone to read through your CV, ask those around you for help. 

If you don’t feel confident asking your loved ones or don’t feel that they’d have the right skills to help, ask an online community such as a professional Facebook Group, you’d be amazed how many people are willing to help you and help rebuild your confidence. 

You could also speak to a recruiter who works in roles that you’re interested in. It’s a great way to build your network, and they might even have the perfect opportunity for you. 

Take a breath

Looking for your next, or even first career move can be really overwhelming so it’s essential that we spend some time away from our screens to evaluate things.

These can be different things for different people. It could be a 5-minute meditation, a run in the park, a walk around the block, or even just 5 deep breaths in and out. Whatever relaxes you, make sure this is something you weave into your job hunting. 

If you’re looking for a role, Exceda recruits for roles across the Midlands so if you’d like an informal chat about your job search, get in contact today.