How to Handle Job Search Burnout

How to Handle Job Search BurnoutHow to Handle Job Search Burnout3In todays economy, the professional playing field is no longer fit for everyone. The endless online job boards, networking events, and one-on-one meetings are equal parts daunting and exhausting for job seekers. Its no wonder more and more job seekers are experiencing job search burnout.The effects reap wider than mere frustration and stress, creating a real physical and mental disrupt in the body. Job searching isnt easy to begin with, so how do you distinguish typical stress from job burnout stress?With your career and your health on the line, here are a few of the signs and causes of job search burnout, as well as prevention tips and ways to handle itSigns/Causes of Job Search BurnoutStress from Overwhelming or Monotonous Tasks Facing tasks that are overwhelming or monotonous in nature can cause stress and over time can cause job burnout.Decreased Health This includes all areas of your health. Perhaps youre experienc ing disrupted sleeping patterns, you are not eating well, and you find that you are contracting colds more often. Physical health is not the only item to evaluate. Dont forget to consider your mental health as well. Signs that your emotional well-being is out of balance is feeling over-stressed, more anxious than usual, and losing hope about the future job prospects.Irritability and Frustration Are you finding yourself getting irritated in other parts of your life besides your job search? Frustration and irritability are sure signs of increased stress levels.Lack of Social Interaction Humans are social creatures. If you are used to going into work, and are now spending your days alone scouring job boards, then that lack of a social support system can be a stress creator and emotional drainer.Preventative Tips Talk It Out Find someone, a professional mentor or a friend, to discuss your job search process with. Human contact and discussion are key to staying focused and objective in t his process. Talking with others can create a healthy brainstorming environment to help you improve your search tactics.platzdeckchen a Limit Creating boundaries and scheduling blocks of search time will aid you immensely in avoiding burnout. Set a limit for a certain amount of jobs to apply for each day. If, at the end of the week you dont get a response, re-evaluate your parameters. If youre a dedicated worker and are eager to get back into the professional working world, chances are you could drive yourself crazy spending all your free time applying- because youre that dedicated. Scouring job boards all day isnt the best use of your time either, as some resources say you should only be spending 10 percent of your time on job boards, and more time interacting with actual people.Re-Examine Your Goals If youve been at this for months and its not yielding any results, its time for a self check-in. Re-evaluate your search parameters- perhaps they are not specific enough. If you only k now you want to work in a specific industry, then hone in on that. If one of your requirements is workplace flexibility, has thousands of flexible employment opportunities with specific search parameters. At first sight, job boards can be intimidating. Fine-tune your searches to avoid getting overwhelmed.Combine Your Search with Networking If only 10 percent of your job search should be using online job boards, then that leaves a great deal of room for personal network building. Dedicate specific time for meeting with professionals in the industry, former colleagues, LinkedIn connections, or companies you admire for informational interviews. Quality face-to-face time with people will energize your search, and open up the door for greater professional growth.Take Time for Other Activities Self-care is imperative for sustainable job searching. Evaluate how many hours you are allocating to job searching. Have you had to sacrifice your personal life in any way? Be sure to unplug now an d then. Catch up with a friend or plan a spa day- unplugging is key to revitalizing your task at hand. Volunteering is another great way to spend some of your newly freed up time. Volunteering is great for both professional networking, and for re-energizing the soul.What are your tips for avoiding job search burnout? Share your advice in the comment section below.