Unemployment can be a brutal blow to many people. Whether you’re just out of university and battling to find the job you’d hoped to land, or have recently been made redundant and are struggling through a series of unsuccessful interviews, it’s natural to begin feeling a little despondent during this difficult time of your life. Add in financial stress and social pressure and you’ve got a simple recipe for depression and discouragement. Use these tips to overcome those negative feelings and motivate yourself to get the job you really want.
- Pursue additional qualifications. For many job seekers, a lack of relevant training or work experience can be a major hindrance to getting their foot on the career ladder. Pursuing a new qualification, taking a course, or even joining a motivational workshop like those offered by H&H Training & Recruitment could be the crucial step you need to succeed at that next big job interview. Even if you’ve already got a degree or are unsure about where to start on your career path, they can help you find your way forward and give you a productive way to fill your time before you find employment.
- Make job-hunting your job. It’s easy to fill your days with unproductive, mind-numbing distractions when you’re unemployed. While spending hours in front of the TV may be relaxing for a few days, it can quickly get old and could easily lead to escalating depression and feelings of disillusionment. Keep setting yourself goals and consider hunting for a job to be your current employment position. This will prevent you from falling into a rut of time wasting and missing important opportunities. Even if it’s just a few hours each day – make sure you’re scheduling productive job search activities and networking into your routine.
- Keep the fun in your life. While money may be short at the moment, you can still maintain a social life and make time for activities you enjoy. Isolating yourself is a dangerous trap that could lead to increased feelings of loneliness and alienation from the working world. Make plans with friends as often as possible, find low cost activities to take part in, and take the time to find a hobby that keeps your mind active and positive.
- Practice acceptance and mindfulness techniques. If anxiety and stress are beginning to overwhelm you, you may want to look into the deservedly popular mindfulness meditation practice. This simple form of meditation involves accepting your current circumstances, sitting quietly, and simply noticing your current feelings, sensations, or surroundings. There are plenty of audio and video guides available online to help you get started, and just a few minutes of meditation a day could help focus your mind on what’s important.
- Keep your self-worth strong. Many people fall into a trap of self-criticism and low self-esteem when they find themselves unemployed for whatever reason. Try to remind yourself that you’re in an unfortunately common position that many people around the world are struggling with, and one that almost everyone will experience at some point in their life. It doesn’t make you a failure and it doesn’t mean that the rest of your life is headed towards a downward spiral. Focus on your positive attributes so you can enter your job search with a confident attitude.
