How to deal with job search stress
How to deal with job search stress
How to deal with job search stress
By Kimberly Gillan
October 16, 2020
Summary
According to SEEK research*, 57 per cent of Australians who are actively searching for jobs say their mental health has been affected by COVID. "A lot of people are going for multiple jobs so they're going through this experience again and again - a cumulative impact of applying and perhaps not securing a job that takes its toll," Read says.
If you need a new job, it can feel like every spare minute should be dedicated to the task, but according to Read it's crucial for job hunters to practice self-care.
Although the research also found that 71 per cent of Australian job seekers are more aware of their mental health since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it doesn't mean all are acting on it.
In such a competitive job market, Katie Roberts, director of Katie Roberts Career Consulting, says many job seekers will benefit from thinking about roles outside their usual box.
"For a lot of people, the jobs are just not there in their field right now, so they're having to adapt to other areas and in some cases enrol in courses and do other training so they can apply for those jobs."
" doesn't mean you have to do it forever and a lot of those jobs [offer] transferrable skills that you can use in your career when you get back to it," she points out.
If you're desperate for a job, it can be tempting to cast your net wide and apply for every role you come across, but Roberts says this is not usually the best strategy.
"Every job application needs to be targeted so you're far better off going for fewer jobs but having a higher hit rate than sending out the same resume for every job, without spending any time trying to sell yourself for that role," she says.
"Often when we're job hunting, we just jump behind the wheel and slam down the accelerator and hope for the best," she says.
A long job hunt can be hard going but it's important to keep your mental health a priority.
Reference
Gillan, K. (2020, October 16). How to deal with job search stress. Retrieved October 17, 2020, from https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/how-to-deal-with-job-search-stress-20201007-p562s2.html