Q. How do people job search when they are already employed? I work, commute, and take care of my home. With my job search on top of that, I have no time for anything else. Plus, I have no answer for people who ask what is taking me so long to find a job. They act as if it’s my fault, adding to my stress. What can I do?
A. Please give yourself permission to stop for a moment and recognize that you are only human—while the recruitment process often feels like it is not human at all.
Also, know that you are not alone in feeling stress. In a recent survey, 90% of workers and their managers recognize some degree of burnout in themselves. To start a job search when you are already stressed at work is a huge undertaking. Here are three things you can do to help:
- Schedule downtime. Once you put the downtime into your schedule, it becomes legitimate: this is your hour for exercise, friendship, or just chilling in front of the TV. Even if you schedule only one hour a week, you will feel refreshed and motivated after your downtime.
- Learn to say no. You are allowed to cut back on commitments and let your house get a bit dirtier than usual. The situation is temporary, and you need to take care of yourself!
- Get help from a professional resume writer and career coach. If your job search is failing to get you the interviews you want, maybe you could use the help of a professional resume writer and career coach to revise your resume, re-examine your career goals, and get a friendly objective review of your job search techniques.
As a member of the top four organizations in the career marketing and resume writing business, and with six key certifications in both resume writing and coaching, I am well qualified to provide advice on your resume and career search. Please contact me if you need more help to lower your stress and spark up your job search.