Good Morale During Long Job Search

Are the days of the wild job market over? According to yesterday’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), US job openings fell to a three year low in March. The number of people quitting their jobs declined as did the number of layoffs. Is this stability or the beginning of stagnation?

Either way, if you’ve decided now is the time to make your career move, you may need to prepare for a longer pull than say you would have from 2019 – 2022. You’re most likely not going to have 3 offers to choose from within a couple weeks either. So how to prepare and manage your internal expectations for a long(er) job search?

Here are some things to bear in mind:

💡 Embrace the Process: As the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and the same can be     said for your career. Remember that each application, each conversation, and each rejection is a steppingstone towards your ultimate goal. 🪨

💡 Set Realistic Expectations: Having a clear understanding of the job market and the hiring process can help set realistic expectations. According to different studies, it could take anywhere from 21 days to five months to secure a new job. Knowing this, you can plan your job search strategy accordingly and avoid unnecessary stress. 📅

💡 Stay Organized: Keeping track of your job applications can be a daunting task, but staying organized can help maintain your morale. Create a spreadsheet to track the companies you’ve applied to, the positions, and the dates. 📂

💡 Seek Support: No one should go through a job search alone. Reach out to friends, family, or even a professional mentor or career coach for support and encouragement. 🫂

💡 Practice Self-Care: Taking care of your physical and mental well-being is crucial during a job search. Make sure to eat well, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep. Can’t emphasize this enough – whether you’re looking for a job or not!!! 💪🏻

Remember – finding a new job requires diligence on your part, but it also requires luck and timing. I’d be willing to bet that a large majority of happy & productive professionals are connected to their current role by a very thin thread. So hang in there, work all angles and know that your dream job may be just around the corner, connected to that next cup of coffee or a result of your next phone call.

#JobSearch #cpacareers #PositiveMindset #Networking