This winter has been a hot Overwhelm! Tips for a better job search
Like a slow lumbering giant, winter 2024 marched into my life declaring that there were BIG things to be done, problems to solve, people to see, webinars to join and apparently limited time in which to do all of these “things”. After two weeks of feeling overwhelmed and scrambling around post holiday bloat with a 90 year old mother returning to Calgary, cancelled flights due to the Arctic Storm that crippled WestJet, two teens to roust after a delightful two week break, a dog diagnosed with Pancreatitis, a new program near launching….well you get the picture. Woohoo! It has been a wild ride. And ya, I am feeling a tad overwhelmded.
I am sure you also have felt some overwhelm at the start of this new year, but here is the thing - you can slow the mania down and control this overwhelm. We have that power! You have that power wonder woman and for those of you also in a job search feeling overwhelmed, stressed and frustrated with a side of anxiety, today is the day for you to sit still and practice a few of the following tips. Trust me, if you take the time to put a few of these tactics in place, your overwhelm and anxiety will begin to fade.
Mindset - adjusting your mindset is the first step to get you out of your rut of overwhelm and anxiety. Lack of confidence, belief in what is possible for you, worthiness, capability, lack of clarity or goals or a plan. These things all impact our mindset and can freeze us up. Your ability is not stopping you from achieving you dreams, ambitions and desires, it is your mindset. You are stuck. Think of your mindset as a ‘mental muscle’ that you have to flex or use. If you keep telling yourself you are not capable of making a job change, getting a promotion or getting back in the work force after years of raising your gorgeous bambinos then you won’t. It is that simple. Your mindset is fixed and you will remain stuck. So flip the switch and make a list today reframing your negative thoughts into positive ones. Write all the negative Nancy self talk you engage in on a page of paper and then beside each one, reframe the statement. It is a simple exercise but will test you to truly believe the opposite of what ‘Negative Nancy’ has been evilly whispering in your ear for all this time. There is much more to mindset and limiting beliefs but this is a start.
Skills & values - review your killer skill set and think of what kind of jobs you actually want - yes you have amazing skills and experience and you have crafted a killer career story but are you actually clear on what you actually want to do to make your search more targeted? Ask yourself these questions:
What energizes me and brings me happiness?
What skills do I have that are in alignment with what energizes me and what roles do they connect to?
What skills do I actually like using the most? Not all your skills are necessarily the ones that bring you sunshine and cupcakes!
What are your values? Do you even know what your values are? If not you should make a list stat! Your values should be in alignment with the companies you are applying to.
Job Profile - create a job profile from the above skills & values to help you stay clear about what and who you want to work with. This profile will outline an environment that you will thrive in.
Job Search Strategy & Plan - the Strategy is the big picture part of your search - the WHY. This is part of Mindset as well but is a tool to help you articulate why you are changing jobs, seeking a new career, pivoting, etc. The Job Search Plan will help you answer the questions like what, who, when and how. You need a solid plan to keep you on track so you do not feel overwhelmed. Here are some questions you could ask:
Have you put a daily timeline together for your search? What time will you work on your search. What is your schedule?
Have you had your resume professionally written for ATS and keywords?
Have you optimized your LinkedIn Profile? Do you have a LinkedIn Profile?
Have you created a Job Profile and worked on your Values, Strengths and interests?
Do you have a network? Do you know how to leverage it for your search?
Do you know all of your skills for the field you are going into and do you know what your skill gaps are and how to fix them - skill upgrading.
Have you set goals for yourself with actions, dates, accountability and outcomes?
All of the above planning and questions will help keep you on track and your overwhelm to a minimum. Remember your job search could take 3-6 months or more so you need a solid plan so you are not spinning your wheels.
Personal Branding & Marketing - in your job search you are also a marketer and a salesperson whether you like it or not. You are your best cheerleader and you need to have a cohesive personal brand and marketing plan to help market/sell your skills, accomplishments and value to each company that you approach. You need to learn to articulate your transferable skills to grab the attention of HR. This also includes non-work experience and volunteer roles you have engaged in.
Take breaks for heavens sake! Jesus - how can you run a marathon if you do not take time to refresh yourself. You need rest. You need physical activity. You need good healthy food. You need to be social. You need to be alone. Make sure that you are mindful of your self care when it comes to your job search. Lack of self care also will add to your anxiety and overwhelm.
Reward yourself - this is a big one and one that we as women, caregivers, mothers, partners, wives, friends often forget to do for ourselves. We are fn brilliant when it comes to rewarding those that we love but when it comes to ourselves we rarely do it. Focus on small daily goals, achievable successes throughout the week and celebrate them. Chocolate, a longer walk, a bath, movie & popcorn, a delicious bottle of vino, a walk to your favourite cafe with a treat, a good book, silence. Milestones are to be celebrated so get in the habit of feeling positive about your search with your job search plan at the ready and your mini rewards. Soon enough with your positive mindset and job search strategy underway you will have landed the job you targetted.
I began this piece by talking about my own personal overwhelm and how January lumbered in like a giant. I want to end this piece by saying that I implement a plan each day for myself. I really do. I make an old school list of what I need to accomplish on a piece of scrap paper (nothing too precious) and I cross them off as the day goes on. I have a non-negotiable date with my dog Lucy for a walk, I get up and stretch and move, I drink tea, call or text my mama, keep my client meetings and try and wrap the day by 5pm.
The first half of January was chaotic and I did not have all of my ducks in a row and before I knew it I was anxious, overwhelmed, grumpy, frustrated and non-motivated. This week I got back to my goal planning and mindset work and feel much better. I hope this helps you as well. Cheers to January & slow lumbering giants ;]
As always feel free to reach out if you want to talk about your career and life!
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