SUMMARY POINTS
There’s probably nothing more soul-crushing than being unemployed and doing the job search thing for months on end. Every day, it’s the same fucking routine. Hop online, browse all the job openings, find any job posting that is remotely related to your experience and complete your millionth application.
During times of desperation, you submit applications for any kind of job even if it’s completely unrelated to your experience and nothing but grunt work. You’ve even applied for positions that require less experience and even entry-level positions too because at this point, it might make sense to take a lower position.
The results are the same. Every. Damn. Time.
Your application and resume just go into some corporate black hole never to be seen again. You send follow-up emails to some generic email address and there’s no response. You just get ghosted.
And even if you have an insider from your LinkedIn connections who works at the company, it’s likely the same story for them too. There’s no new information about the opening.
All you want to do is scream. This whole job search thing is frustrating as fuck. You feel like you’re about to lose your shit.
During times of desperation, you submit applications for any kind of job even if it’s completely unrelated to your experience and nothing but grunt work. You’ve even applied for positions that require less experience and even entry-level positions too because at this point, it might make sense to take a lower position.
The results are the same. Every. Damn. Time.
Your application and resume just go into some corporate black hole never to be seen again. You send follow-up emails to some generic email address and there’s no response. You just get ghosted.
And even if you have an insider from your LinkedIn connections who works at the company, it’s likely the same story for them too. There’s no new information about the opening.
All you want to do is scream. This whole job search thing is frustrating as fuck. You feel like you’re about to lose your shit.
Why Job Searching Sucks And How It Drains You Mentally
Let's be real: job searching sucks. It's a soul-sucking, mentally exhausting rollercoaster that leaves you questioning your worth and sanity. Every day is a test of your willpower and mental strength.
If you're an unemployed office worker currently wading through the job market, you already know this all too well. But why does it suck so much, and how can you navigate this emotionally draining process without losing your mind?
Grab a coffee, take a deep breath, and let's dive in.
If you're an unemployed office worker currently wading through the job market, you already know this all too well. But why does it suck so much, and how can you navigate this emotionally draining process without losing your mind?
Grab a coffee, take a deep breath, and let's dive in.
Highs And Lows Of Hope And Rejection
One moment you're riding high on the hope that your dream job is just an application away, and the next, you're crashing down to earth with yet another "Thanks, but no thanks" rejection email.
It's like dating but without the free dinner. Every rejection feels personal, even though it's not. But hey, it's hard not to take it personally when your livelihood is on the line.
It's like dating but without the free dinner. Every rejection feels personal, even though it's not. But hey, it's hard not to take it personally when your livelihood is on the line.
Endless Loop of Applications
Scrolling through job listings, tailoring your resume, and crafting yet another cover letter can feel like a full-time job in itself, minus the paycheck. The monotony and repetitive nature of this process can make you feel stuck in an endless loop and not making any kind of progress.
And the uncertainty of when it'll end only adds to the stress. Forget about any kind of “light at the end of the tunnel” here. It’s nothing but pitch blackness.
And the uncertainty of when it'll end only adds to the stress. Forget about any kind of “light at the end of the tunnel” here. It’s nothing but pitch blackness.
Pressure To Stay Positive
"Stay positive! The right opportunity will come by."
How many times have you heard that fucking phrase?
Even though it’s a generic pep reply with good intentions, it's not always easy to stay upbeat with positive vibes when you're facing constant rejection. The pressure to put on a happy face can be overwhelming, making you feel like you have to hide your true feelings.
How many times have you heard that fucking phrase?
Even though it’s a generic pep reply with good intentions, it's not always easy to stay upbeat with positive vibes when you're facing constant rejection. The pressure to put on a happy face can be overwhelming, making you feel like you have to hide your true feelings.
Self-Doubt Creeping In
When you’ve been job hunting for months or even years, it’s common to start wondering if it’s something to do with you or your lack of skills. This happens to everybody.
The longer your job search drags on, the more self-doubt starts to creep in. You start questioning your skills, experience, and even your career choices. It's easy to forget that the job market is competitive and that you're not alone in this struggle. There are a ton of folks out there that have been laid off or fired and they’re in the same boat as you.
The longer your job search drags on, the more self-doubt starts to creep in. You start questioning your skills, experience, and even your career choices. It's easy to forget that the job market is competitive and that you're not alone in this struggle. There are a ton of folks out there that have been laid off or fired and they’re in the same boat as you.
Anxiety And Stress
The uncertainty of not knowing when you'll land a job can lead to constant anxiety and stress. The biggest stressor is money. You’ve got bills to pay. You gotta put a roof over your head and have a place to sleep. You need food to survive. These are all real financial pressures that can make you stressed AF.
Then, there is the pressure to meet societal expectations. How will others see you when you’ve been out of work for a long time. Or, when you decide to accept a much lower position just so that you can have an income. All of these things can keep you up at night, making it hard to focus during the day.
Then, there is the pressure to meet societal expectations. How will others see you when you’ve been out of work for a long time. Or, when you decide to accept a much lower position just so that you can have an income. All of these things can keep you up at night, making it hard to focus during the day.
Job Search Survival Hack: A Balanced Routine Of Hunting And Healing
If there’s one thing that is clear about living - it’s that doing anything in extremes is not good for you. This could be excessive drinking, smoking, working, eating, spending, sleeping, etc.
Living life at the extremes won’t do anything for you except make you miserable. Even some of the world’s richest people who have worked their asses off their entire lives are unhappy.
The same principle applies here, in your job-hunting efforts.
You shouldn’t be doing the job search thing all day and night for weeks and months. You’ll just burn yourself out. You gotta keep things in balance, even though you may feel compelled to go all-out all the time to land something quickly.
The key here is to create a daily routine that is balanced and easy to stick with. Don’t make it complicated or overloaded. The simpler it is, the easier it will be to stick with it.
Structure each of your weekdays with designated timeblocks. Each weekday should have the same timeblocks so that you’ll get into a groove and a nice pace. The only time that you should deviate from this schedule is for interviews.
Here’s a timeblock schedule that alternates hunting and healing to get you thinking:
6am-7am:
Wake up and do a 30-minute coffee meditation.
7am-8am:
Get kids ready for school and drop ‘em off.
8am-9am:
Check and respond to job search emails.
9am-10am:
Apply for new job postings.
10am-11am:
Go for mid-morning stress relief walk around the neighborhood.
11am-12pm:
Send networking emails to business contacts.
12pm-1pm:
Meet up with friends or business colleagues for lunch or enjoy quiet lunch at home.
1pm-3pm:
Check and reply to emails if needed. Research targeted industries that you want to get into and watch video clips to build up knowledge.
3pm-5pm:
Pick up the kids from school. Do usual after school activities.
5pm-6pm:
Reserved timeblock for miscellaneous stuff.
6pm-7pm:
Dinner time with family.
7pm-8pm:
Dedicated self-care “me-time” with fav hobby or activity.
8pm-10pm:
Unplugged evening to digitally detox yourself from the day.
The key here is to create a simple easy-to-stick with alternating pattern of doing job search tasks and taking breaks. This allows you to get in the zone when you need to focus on the job search and then ease off the accelerator pedal during breaks. The more you can stick with this pattern, the better off you’ll be mentally.
Living life at the extremes won’t do anything for you except make you miserable. Even some of the world’s richest people who have worked their asses off their entire lives are unhappy.
The same principle applies here, in your job-hunting efforts.
You shouldn’t be doing the job search thing all day and night for weeks and months. You’ll just burn yourself out. You gotta keep things in balance, even though you may feel compelled to go all-out all the time to land something quickly.
The key here is to create a daily routine that is balanced and easy to stick with. Don’t make it complicated or overloaded. The simpler it is, the easier it will be to stick with it.
Structure each of your weekdays with designated timeblocks. Each weekday should have the same timeblocks so that you’ll get into a groove and a nice pace. The only time that you should deviate from this schedule is for interviews.
Here’s a timeblock schedule that alternates hunting and healing to get you thinking:
6am-7am:
Wake up and do a 30-minute coffee meditation.
7am-8am:
Get kids ready for school and drop ‘em off.
8am-9am:
Check and respond to job search emails.
9am-10am:
Apply for new job postings.
10am-11am:
Go for mid-morning stress relief walk around the neighborhood.
11am-12pm:
Send networking emails to business contacts.
12pm-1pm:
Meet up with friends or business colleagues for lunch or enjoy quiet lunch at home.
1pm-3pm:
Check and reply to emails if needed. Research targeted industries that you want to get into and watch video clips to build up knowledge.
3pm-5pm:
Pick up the kids from school. Do usual after school activities.
5pm-6pm:
Reserved timeblock for miscellaneous stuff.
6pm-7pm:
Dinner time with family.
7pm-8pm:
Dedicated self-care “me-time” with fav hobby or activity.
8pm-10pm:
Unplugged evening to digitally detox yourself from the day.
The key here is to create a simple easy-to-stick with alternating pattern of doing job search tasks and taking breaks. This allows you to get in the zone when you need to focus on the job search and then ease off the accelerator pedal during breaks. The more you can stick with this pattern, the better off you’ll be mentally.
Keep A Balanced Approach To Maintain Your Sanity
Job searching fucking sucks. There's no sugar-coating it. It's mentally draining, emotionally taxing, and often an uphill battle. But remember, it's not a reflection of your worth or capabilities.
Develop a simple routine that balances job search with self-care so that you don’t lose your shit. By setting a pattern of hunting and healing you can get through this process in a more healthy way.
Keep pushing through. You will get to the other side. And when you do, raise a glass to yourself for surviving this exhausting journey. Hell, maybe even take a solo weekend getaway for yourself.
Feel Better,
[Cubicle|Therapy]
Develop a simple routine that balances job search with self-care so that you don’t lose your shit. By setting a pattern of hunting and healing you can get through this process in a more healthy way.
Keep pushing through. You will get to the other side. And when you do, raise a glass to yourself for surviving this exhausting journey. Hell, maybe even take a solo weekend getaway for yourself.
Feel Better,
[Cubicle|Therapy]