RMN'S Blog
How to Get Out of Job Search Burnout
Searching for a new job or career move can become a tiresome task. Let’s say it has been some time since you have started your job search, and you have not have much luck in finding a new job. Many attorneys looking for new positions experience “job search burnout” after continuously searching and coming up empty. Reaching a plateau in your job search is not a pleasant experience, and may create a sense of hopelessness. This feeling of being burned out can come at any time of your job search, but here are ways to try to alleviate them as they come along.
One of the most obvious signs you are experiencing job search burnout is if you are experiencing strong emotions and mood swings more often. Feeling irritable more often than normal is common when feeling stuck or hopeless. Things that normally don’t bother you are now evoking a strong, negative feeling. If your emotions are getting out of hand, this could be a good time to take a mental break. Find time to get away from searching for a job to take care of yourself. Surprisingly, taking a break away from your job search and working on something else can help to make you feel replenished once you feel ready to start looking again.
Another way to come out of your job search burnout is to ask for feedback. Talking to a professional whom you have a good relationship with is a good way to get input on you as a worker and interviewer. This can be a former boss, coworker or recruiter. You can even request a mock interview to help enhance your interviewing skills. Ask the person, “What can I do differently?”, “What are strong follow-up questions?”, and “How can I answer this questions better?” You can gain much insight and constructive feedback by speaking and working with these professionals.
Have you been interviewing without much luck of progress? It may be time to change up your approach. When preparing for your next interview, act as if it is your first interview again. Make sure your outfit is freshly dry-cleaned, ironed and starched. You may also want to get a manicure or new hairstyle as well. These small additions help to boost your confidence, and give you a new energy toward the interview process. It can also help to add more enthusiasm in your voice and make you mindful of your body language. Small tweaks can make a big difference when engaging in an interview.
Let’s say you landed another job interview. A good way to leave a good impression on an interviewer is to have something in common with him or her. That way, you are more likely to be remembered by the person. Before your interview, do your research. This includes both the law firm and person you are interviewing with, if you know. You can use LinkedIn to find the interviewer’s background information, and discover if you have any commonalities. People tend to be more comfortable with those who are similar to them or people they know. So if you don’t have anything in common with your interviewer, see if you can find commonalities with you and a partner in the firm they may know.
Although these tips can help to alleviate our job search burnout, best way to avoid burnout is to set a plan for yourself. Having a set plan will help you to stay motivated. The plan doesn’t have to be linear either; you can create an “escape route” for your career plan if you feel as if things are not working out in your favor. The most important thing to do to avoid becoming burned out by a job search is to stay focused on your end goal. This will help to keep your spirits high and keep you from thinking you are on a road leading nowhere.
