Whether it’s your first day on the job search or you’ve been doing it for a while, you might find yourself anxious about what lies ahead.
Job search anxiety can indeed be crippling for many job seekers. If you feel nervous whenever you’re looking for a new job, the good news is that there are ways to help reduce your anxiety while increasing your chances of success.
Let’s take a look at some of the most important tips to reduce job search anxiety and help you gain extra confidence.
1. Make a list of your fears
Come up with a list of the fears that make you anxious and write down how you intend to overcome each fear. For example, if you feel way too afraid of the interviewing process, you might want to see an interview coach or practice in front of a mirror. The more specific your plan is, the better your results will be.
2. Practice makes perfect
Before applying for jobs, spend some time practicing the interview process. This will help put your fears at ease while preparing you for the real thing. As you prepare, don’t expect your first time to be perfect. It takes practice to become comfortable with the interview process.
3. Don’t forget about body language
Develop positive body language throughout the interview process by standing up, nodding and smiling. Your body can often tell a story that your mouth won’t, and it’s essential to be aware of those messages.
In addition, the interviewer will often note how you behave or react during difficult questions, as they are almost always an indicator of how well you’ll perform in stressful environments.
Try to sit up straight, make direct eye contact and maintain a neutral facial expression that displays confidence.
4. Mentally rehearse the questions you might be asked
It’s always a good idea to mentally rehearse the questions you might be asked in an interview. While it may feel a little silly, rehearsing your responses ahead of time can help you be more relaxed during the actual interview.
Some of the questions you should rehearse for your interview are:
- What is your greatest strength?
- What is your greatest weakness? (And how do you compensate for this?)
- Why do you want to work here? (Be specific and show that you actually did some research into the company.)
- Why should we hire you?
- What are your goals in life for the next five years?
5. Apply for more jobs than you actually want
Applying to more jobs than you can handle is a great way to gain confidence in interviewing. This is one of the best ways to understand what’s working and what’s not so you can make appropriate adjustments. It will also help you get used to rejection.
Other articles you might like:
- How to track and organize your remote job search
- How to improve your remote job seeker profile
- Answer to no responses from employers about job application
6. Focus on what you can control
As part of your preparation, you must be honest with yourself about the issues and fears you may experience. Finding a job is never easy. The key to preventing anxiety is to remain positive and to focus on what you can control. This will help reduce the feeling that it is all just out of your control.
7. Develop an action plan for each fear
Keep a list of your fears and compile a plan to address each fear until it no longer has any power over you. You might even want to have a friend or family member play the role of the interviewer. Once you have addressed your fears and feel more confident, you’ll feel ready to apply to jobs that you’d really want but were too afraid to go for.
You might want to use a journal or diary as a place where you can record your feelings, thoughts and actions throughout the job search process. You can then refer back to this journal at any time for self-analysis.
8. Remember that job searching is a process
Finding a new job doesn’t happen overnight. This is one lesson most people learn throughout their professional life, and it’s something that nearly every person who has ever looked for a new job can probably relate to.
It’s a good idea to stay calm and do your homework before you spend too much time worrying about getting nowhere. You may not get an interview for the very first job you apply to, but that’s ok. It doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong with your application — it may simply take employers some time to get back to you.
Other articles you might like:
- How to write a cover letter that lands an interview
- How to prepare yourself for a remote job interview
9. Stay positive
While it may be pretty difficult to remain positive when looking for a job, especially if your search is not going quite well, try to hang in there. Don’t skimp on sleep, as this can really impact your health, and try to eat as healthy as possible.
Don’t just limit yourself to online applications and resumes that keep you locked in the house. Instead, go out into the community and talk to people. Go to local events or even hang out in a nearby coffee shop. Ask people about their jobs or careers and find out what they wish they’d known before starting their job search. This will help you bring some positivity to your life.
Finally, don’t forget to do what you love. Think about what makes you happy or what gets you excited. You may not be able to get paid to do it immediately, but it could help motivate you when looking for a job. Working in the garden, volunteering or exercising are excellent ways to help you remain positive.
Other articles you might like:
- How to track and organize your remote job search
- How to improve your remote job seeker profile
- Answer to no responses from employers about job application
Bottom Line
It’s essential to be honest with yourself about your fears and prepare for the interview process before sitting down for a face-to-face interview. There are quite a few ways to prevent job anxiety. You can take a class in job interviewing skills or practice interviewing techniques with a family member or colleague. You also might want to read about other people’s experiences of job interviews.
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