The good news, I had a job interview! The bad news, I had a job interview that prompted me to be on my A game, and not screw up! *Cue butterflies in stomach.*
As the expression goes, job hunting is the hardest job a person will have, and I believe it. The constant pressure to send applications, resumés, update my LinkedIn profile, make sure my skills stay on point while I’m waiting for someone to show they’re interesting in talking to me. It’s pretty darn exhausting. But it’s not without learning a lesson or two. So here are the five things I do that have helped me get through this challenging time in my life:
5 Things to Do While Job Hunting
- Set aside a specific time to job hunt. For me, I’m a morning person, so I do my job hunting right after breakfast. I go through all my usual online sources until I’ve exhausted them, then I move on to recreational things.
- Don’t feel guilty enjoying the extra free time. I used to feel like I was wasting my time if I wasn’t doing something productive every minute. But now I find that enjoying my extra free time is good for both my physical and mental well being because it doesn’t do any good to fester with anxiety wondering what the outcome of my job hunt is going to be. So after my daily job hunt is over, I try to find ways to enjoy the time off while I’ve still got it. Maybe go for a drive, try some new recipes, watch a movie, take care of the garden. It may not sound very exciting, but these things do relax me.
- Volunteer to fill the excess time. It’s a great way to stay productive, plus you never know who you might meet! Many jobs are filled because somebody knew somebody. That’s how I got my last job!
- Stay connected to friends. Luckily I found a walking buddy to go out into the fresh air every week. We chat about what’s going on in our lives and it’s a great source of support, especially when I’ve had a discouraging day.
- Find hobbies to keep you busy. Like blogging! That’s how this blog got started. I’ve also been using Duolingo to learn Spanish since so many companies want someone who’s bilingual. I won’t be completely bilingual in just a few weeks, but I figure if I can at least get the basic idea of a conversation I’m hearing, that’s better than nothing.
As for that job interview I had today, it seemed to go well. But who knows what the other person is thinking. Now it’s back to the hard part of waiting to see if they contact me again for a second interview with a different group of people. In the mean time, I’m going to continue as if nothing has changed. It’s just easier for me to cope that way. So back to Duolingo, and a new grilled chicken recipe.
Take care ❤️
