How to avoid job search fatigue

Searching for a job can be a long and tiring process. The daily grind of waking each day and searching for work can prove challenging – even for the most energetic and motivated of people. With this in mind, the latest job seeking article from Go Zambia Jobs aims to provide some useful tips and advice on how you can stay fresh during your job search.

1. Take a break

Searching for a job can be hard work – in fact it is often harder than paid work. Constantly looking for jobs, writing applications, attending interviews – this is all extremely mentally demanding. It is therefore vital that you occasionally take time out to relax and recharge before setting off again. Meet a friend, read a book, whatever – the important thing is that you take a break. Regular physical exercise is a great idea (it can reduce levels of stress and boost energy levels) so play that game of football, or netball or just take a walk and clear your head. This may sound absurd to someone desperately in need of a job but taking a break can actually help you perform better.

2. Reward yourself

Working all day searching and applying for jobs for no reward can severally contribute to job search fatigue. We have already stated that searching for jobs is hard work, however unlike paid employment there is often no reward. In employment you are not only rewarded in terms of  (a) the salary that you receive but also in terms of the (b) sense of achievement you get from working and (c) the encouragement you receive from colleagues and managers. To help you stay fresh during your job search why try to reward yourself for each call you make or each application you submit. The reward does not have to be financial – it could be something as simple as just saying “well done” to yourself out loud. This will help you to acknowledge your efforts and provide you with a sense of achievement (remember finding and applying for jobs is an achievement regardless of whether you get the job or not this time).

3. Get support from family and friends

You do not have to search and suffer alone – involve friends and family in your job  search. Keep family and friends informed regarding your search, the applications you make and any responses you receive regardless of whether they are good or bad. Not only will family and friends be able to help support you emotionally, they can also help you search for jobs, review applications and prepare for interviews. Remember – many hands make light work.

4. Meet new people

Often when looking for a job we submit applications by post or email or online without ever actually talking to anyone.  This lack of interaction with people can contribute to feelings of isolation, which can in turn contribute to job search fatigue. You can tackle this problem by interacting with new people during your job search. Make a point of calling the employer or recruiter when applying for a job. You could also try attending industry events or becoming active in local community and voluntary organisations. This will help to combat feelings of isolation during your job search and will help you get that buzz of energy from interacting with others.

5. Organise your job search

Having an organised job search can also help reduce job search fatigue and help you to stay fresh and positive when looking for employment. Try organising your job search into several blocks of time each day and spend only those hours looking for new positions, attending events, or contacting companies. Outside of these blocks focus on study, other tasks or take a break altogether. You could also try logging your job search activities. This will help you to keep track of your activities and applications and can help to show you how hard you are working looking for a job. You can also use this log to make changes to the ways in which you are searching for employment.

Further Information

To find more careers articles visit: Careers Advice

Search for Jobs

To search for the latest jobs in Zambia visit: www.gozambiajobs.com/jobs

1 thought on “How to avoid job search fatigue”

  1. The most interesting feature on your site is that apart from advertising for jobs,there is also the coaching or training of a wide range of job search techniques ,CV writing,interviews tips,and job encouragement or motivation. I have suspended my Masters degree program after losing employment ,but I found the search job as a consolation to studies and loss of employed

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