How to avoid stress and burnout when job hunting

Today I want to talk to you about the BIGGEST mistake of all when you are job hunting.

All this week, I’ve been sharing 5 common mistakes to avoid when job hunting. And how to stop making those mistakes.

Everything in this series is based on the experiences of 100s of women who’ve done my LinkedIn training, career coaching or redundancy transition programmes.

These are the tips and tricks that I also share in my Career Conversations group on Facebook.

The biggest mistake of all is getting SO focused on the job hunt that you don’t look after yourself. The end result is you get completely overwhelmed and stressed leading to job search burnout.

Yes it’s a thing. I’ve been there and done it myself so I know how job search burnout can really knock your confidence.

How to avoid stress and burnout when job hunting

You are particularly vulnerable to job search burnout if you’ve been made redundant. You’ve got that financial timebomb ticking ever loudly reminding you every day that you need a job to pay the bills and keep a roof over your head.

So you think … I’ll fill in one more job application. I’ll do one more covering letter. I’ll do one more search.

Job hunting can be so tiring – physically, mentally and emotionally. It may take several weeks or even months to find a new job.

Remember it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon, so treat it as such.

As my client Kate said

Job hunting is a challenge. But the sheer amount of effort, time and brainspace is the biggest challenge.

Don’t spend all day every day focused on nothing but the job search.

Schedule regular breaks from the job hunting.

When you’re researching the Top 10 companies for your Employer Gold List (see yesterday’s post) or you’re completing job applications, if you don’t take breaks, you’ll start to skip or miss important details.

Prioritise your self-care so that you remain positive, confident and refreshed.

Put a regular structure and routine into your day. Make sure it includes something active. Even a 20 minute brisk walk every day will do wonders for your energy, your creativity and your decision-making.

Surround yourself with positive successful people – people who will support you and encourage you when you’re feeling down.

You need to maintain your energy and build your resilience for the (almost inevitable) rejections you’ll face along the way. You can only do that if you focus on avoiding stress and burnout.

After all, there’s no point turning up for an interview if you’re completely shattered and burnt out from the whole job hunting process. You won’t be able to give your best.

5 mistakes to avoid when job hunting

Today was the last in a series exploring the 5 mistakes you need to avoid to be successful in your job hunt.

If you are actively job hunting, remember to take care of yourself so that you don’t end up overwhelmed and burnt out.

For more discussions on this, join my Career Conversations community on Facebook.

p.s. if you’re actively job hunting, facing redundancy or going back to work after a career break, you’ll love Job Search Confidence, a 12 week structured job search programme. Get crystal clear in your job search goals and become the stand out candidate for your dream job – before you even apply! Find out more HERE.