Navigating your job hunt: coping with setbacks and staying positive
Friday, 11 October 2024
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Looking after your mental health while building your career is an essential skill.
It's WA Mental Health Week and the theme for 2024 is 'Empowering Communities, Thriving Workforces: A journey towards investing in our mental health.'
It's a great time to think about how we place mental health considerations into our job hunting activities and career development.
Applying for, and starting new jobs or career paths, takes courage and may lead to feelings of anxiety and self-doubt. This can be especially true whilst looking for jobs, and if you experience unexpected setbacks along the way.
You may feel under pressure to find that perfect graduate job or be under pressure to pay bills. One week of waiting can feel like one year, and the waiting and not-knowing is exhausting!
It can help to remember that it’s not just you and that this is a common experience when job seeking. Try to remain focused on all that you HAVE achieved, and all the activities that you CAN do.
The Inclusive Employability Team behind the new online module, Strength in Diversity: enhancing your employment journey, have put together 5 Tips for an Optimistic and Empowered Job Hunt.
- Schedule your time. Set aside some time each day for following up or submitting job applications, and then schedule in other activities that you enjoy or for your personal development, such as exercise, socialising or gaining new knowledge and skills.
- Set mini-goals that you can control. This might be a certain number of job applications a week, attending a networking activity, or organising an informational interview with someone in your desired area of employment.
- Build employability skills. Consider volunteering, casual or part-time employment opportunities, that may or not-be directly related to your field of study. This can be a good way to meet people, ease financial pressures, and positively distract yourself from the waiting.
- Seek feedback and connect with others. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback, this may help you with future job applications. Try to remember it’s a common experience to lose out on a role, and reflect upon what you can learn from each unsuccessful application. Don’t forget to reach out to friends, family and other trusted supporters for a chat, advice or support.
- Speak to an expert. ECU Careers Advisers and other recruitment services can offer a wealth of knowledge on the labour market, navigating job applications, and career pathways.
Visit the Strength in Diversity online employment preparation module to hear from ECU student Dale, and graduate Roshani sharing their experiences of overcoming employment related setbacks.
Need help or guidance? Make an appointment with an ECU Careers Adviser for job-related support or ECU’s Psychological Counselling Support for personal well-being and mental health assistance.