5 Things Help PhDs Overcome Depression While Job Hunting

Stop ruminating and recite all of the reasons why you’re special. List the exceptional skills and wonderful experiences that you have to offer to prospective employers. You can’t—and shouldn’t—benchmark yourself against what you’ve done pre-Covid-19. To stay sane, you should readjust your expectations and change the way you look at things. Simply talking through things with another person can be an effective way of processing messy, challenging emotions.

overcoming job search depression

Furthermore, during this time of economic strain employers often receive double or triple the number of applications they normally receive for advertised roles. In contrast, networking with your friends, acquaintances, former colleagues, and new connections can be a much more dynamic approach. If they start showing concern about your behavior, such as drug and alcohol abuse, it may be appropriate to seek professional help.

Take time for yourself (take a break from the job hunt)

It is a mindfulness practice that brings calm to your difficult emotions. Or, what’s worse, you could end up accepting a job that you really don’t want simply just to take yourself off the market. Either way, don’t get stuck into a vicious, self-defeating cycle of self-doubt that can come from being on the job market for months on end. The road to landing a job can seem endless and can take a major toll on your emotional well-being.

  • Learn how to craft the perfect industry resume to attract employers.
  • Or you should have created three versions of your resume depending on the organization you will pass it to.
  • Understanding and accepting that this totally normal experience happens to everyone at some point in their careers.
  • We will feel the economic impact of COVID-19 for years to come.
  • Exercise, a balanced diet, and a good night’s sleep are already non-negotiable aspects when it comes to taking care of yourself.

Allow me to share one crucial mindset that I’ll cultivate to make me feel better about job hunting. In fact, you may even want to take a break from interviewing or job searching altogether. The length of your recovery will vary depending on your individual circumstances, but generally, the more detached and listless you feel, the more time you’ll need to disconnect and recoup. https://remotemode.net/ By taking occasional breaks, you’ll give yourself time to do an internal audit of your physical and emotional well-being and replenish your reserves as needed. Knowing that you’re able to accomplish goals you set for yourself can help revive your waning motivation and flip your mindset around. Age discrimination against older job seekers is an unfortunate reality for so many.

Coping with Financial Stress

Our jobs are a big part of our identity, but we are so much more than just our jobs. We are family, friends, mentors, and volunteers, just to name a few. And, remember that recruiters have a lot to balance, too. For every one job posting, they may get as many as 250 applications.

Make sure you’re getting between 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. It will help you keep your stress levels under control and maintain your focus throughout your job search. For many of us, our work shapes our identities and defines who we are. After all, when you meet someone new, one of the first questions they ask is, “What do you do? But it’s important to remember that being unemployed doesn’t have to define who you are as a person.

Industry Resume Guide for PhDs

Suicide prevention hotlines or lifelines are available in many countries. They exist to provide compassionate support to people who are feeling hopeless or are thinking of ending their lives. Suicide overcoming job search depression hotlines commonly support with all topics, which means they can help with any kind of problem, even if it’s not suicide related. They are usually reachable at all hours of the day and night.

  • It’s normal to feel additional stress and anxiety during the job search process—but it’s also a difficult cycle to break.
  • If you’ve been dealing with depression for a while, you likely know by now what helps you to get through your hardest episodes.
  • The positive reinforcement of others in a similar boat can also keep you motivated when constant non-response — or flat-out rejection — can feel like a reflection of your self-worth.
  • Some even offer game nights, movies, and other leisure events where you can make new friends and socialize.
  • Make time for family fun.Set aside regular family fun time where you can enjoy each other’s company, let off steam, and forget about your unemployment troubles.

You’ll find that “cooperating” with the motions of your mind and body works better in clearing your disposition towards the job search. About half of U.S. adults have a negative disposition when it comes to looking for work. One can only imagine the agony caused by repetitive rejections and lengthy wait times. Returning to the idea of self-compassion, recognize that you’ll have good days and bad days, and that you may have varying capacity for certain kinds of tasks from one day to the next. For example, on good days you might focus on networking and building connections, and on other days you may not feel up to that. If you’re having a particularly bad day, remember to be gentle with yourself.

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