What You Don’t Get About the Job Search: Voices of the Jobless

Sure, it’d be awesome if you scored an interview after the first job application you sent out, but that’s just not realistic, especially if you’re in a competitive media industry. Patience really is a virtue in a job search, as it can take anywhere from six months to 18 months to land an offer. Putting yourself out there isn’t always easy, especially given that there’s “definitely a stigma” around unemployment, Dr. Maidenberg said. Research shows that the long-term unemployed spend less time with family and friends, and embarrassment can contribute to people avoiding social interactions, Mr. Witters said. While interactions with others may bring you some job leads, the bigger purpose is to feel connected to a broader community. Even tasks that aren’t related to the job search, like straightening up your room or making phone calls about health insurance coverage, can earn a place on your goal list.

Your first instinct may be to immediately trash the rejection email but your response is important. Simply respond and let the recipient know you are thankful for the opportunity to interview. There are a few ways you can reply to your job rejection and say thank you. Our flagship program with 8,000+ PhDs will help you get hired into the best career for your unique situation and background. If you want free insights on resumes, LinkedIn, interviewing, careers and more, just enter your details below. There are endless jobs to apply to, networking events to attend, and people to connect with. Now, recruiters are contacting you and you’re getting industry interviews.

Questions to Ask for Better Conversations

Taking a few days off from an intensive project like a job search has been shown to alleviate frustration, change perspective, and spark novelty. You should also keep a folder with your tailored resumes and cover letters. Keeping track of the connections you’ve made, as well as the last time you contacted them and the next time you plan on contacting them, will help you diversify your job search rapidly. Instead, surround yourself with a positive community of like-minded people where you can share honest experiences and learn trade secrets.

This is especially true if you are interviewing with startups and progressive-minded organizations, according to Heath. “It won’t take away from your job hunt, you just simply won’t plan any interviews for that day,” Mahalli says. “It will also help make you feel capable, and that’s important when you’re trying to fight depression”—not to mention when you’re looking for a job. Work around your depression and job search current job schedule to avoid missing important meetings or critical deadlines. If you’re going through multiple rounds of interviews at a single company, or have calls for single interviews with several companies, consider using vacation or personal days. When you’re unemployed—or desperate to get out of a bad job situation— and not getting calls for interviews, it’s easy to get uneasy.

What Are the Biggest Dos and Don’ts of Resumes?

For many people, jobs are tied to their feelings of self-worth. If you suffer from low self-worth, it can be difficult to get out of the rut of job search hopelessness. Thankfully, there are many ways to deal with job search depression. The first step is recognizing why job search depression happens. If you have any doubt about whether job search depression is real or not, consider this. There was no way that I wanted to go through the job hunting process again, at age sixty two, when the temp job ended. Supportiv does not offer advice, diagnosis, treatment or crisis counseling.