It’s easy to say get counseling during a job search depression. It’s not simple to do. We focus on the obstacles and forgetting our cheering section. All of the burdens of life are shouldered because you know your family is expecting you to “carry your weight!” It’s not easy to avoid depression, but I urge you to fight it during your job search.
“Get back out there and try!” It hurts to hear it and somewhat debilitating. Make the chanters understand how it hurts then get back to the job search! What most people don’t get about unemployment–it is the four wall room in lower in the American basement of society.
And of course, follow up on any and every lead handed to you. Yes, even UPS! Oh, you might like Amazon better.
It’s not that you’re not appreciative, but you’ve internalized the relationships, found a comfort zone, and liked some of the career-defining work. It’s disappointing when there were circumstances you couldn’t control, and it wasn’t under your terms. Dysfunctional or not, your last coworkers were like family even if they didn’t know you outside of work.
Counseling is good and maybe needed. But it’s maybe one hour. You have 167 hours to fight on your own. I’ve been down there before but found ways to deal with it. Mostly, people who exited without a say so deal with loss differently than those who do:
1. Bring closure to the loss of your last job(s)
People can sense your loss and how negatively it affects you when you talk (or don’t talk). Even if it is all your fault, come to terms with the loss. One job is not everything you are. Your job is to find who you are and promote your value. Until then, it’s difficult to be rational and positive.
2. Focus on others, and be solution oriented
No pity parties, no “should” party, and don’t let others should all over you. Serving others is the best distractions and also a way to rediscover your strengths and gifts. You often get back by giving first. Great conversations often end with value exchange and follow-up.
3. Focus on and serve family
Unemployed or in-between employment, this is the time to put extra focus on family, household duties, and parents. Everyone should benefit from the extra time you have.
If you have children, you will gain perspective, and they will gain more emotional security by the increased involvement.
4. Exercise
It’s the great stress reliever and equalizer. In fact, create significant visual and mental goals. If not losing weight, make it a goal to gain muscle or both. Go to YouTube and look for household or playground workouts. These are intensive enough to make moderate gains in your fitness goals. The more rigorous, the better to achieve level-up concrete goals.
5. Do encouraging and confidence building activities
For many people, this also means stop the small things that trigger negative thinking. Television and some movies are small deterrents, yet many “little” distractions could add up to one big “fed-up!” Volunteering could serve you well to build your confidence. You will be appreciated when the value added is through your strengths. You can control your schedule and if strategized, use skills to increase your career market value.
We could go on to discuss taking courses, journaling, and or blogging could help build your career. What’s important is how you intrinsically deal with depression and changing behavior associated with it. Job search depression cannot be allowed black cloud space over your head or heart.
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About Mark Anthony Dyson
I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.