Ideas for Stressed Job Seekers

Kristine Penning
May 02, 2019
Newsletter Article

The job search process often causes stress; here are four tips to reduce the stress of job searching with maximizing it for success.

The job search process is one that no one especially loves. It often causes stress between the searching itself, writing and customizing resumes and cover letters, asking for references, worrying, and managing to organize it all while fulfilling and balancing the other parts of your life. Here are some tips to help reduce the stress of job searching while still maximizing for success.

Let the Job Boards Do the Searching
Many sites, AgCareers.com included, allow job seekers to set up Job Alerts so you’ll be notified of opportunities that meet your criteria. This will save you a few hours each day retracing your steps on the job boards for any new postings. Tip within a tip: make sure your job alert criteria isn’t too rigid; allow some wiggle room regarding your job title/responsibilities and location to get a wider range of results.

Organization is the Key to Success.
This is something my high school history teacher taught me that I often reflect back on. Being as organized as possible saves you from the stress of constantly starting from scratch and sifting through dozens of applications. AgCareers.com can help with this; we save your job search and application history for you when you create an account. Also try keeping a document or spreadsheet with a list of jobs you’ve applied to with columns open for whether you’ve heard back or have an interview scheduled. Organize your files so that your resume and cover letter customizations are clearly labeled for which job they belong to.

Keep Active
I don’t mean actively searching here. Stay active with fun activities and exercise. The job search lends itself easily to anxiety and depression when things aren’t working out or working as quickly as you’d like. Maintain a high level of self-care when you’re not searching and interviewing. Get your mind off job searching altogether by seeing that movie you’ve been intrigued by, getting lunch with a friend, or going for a jog.

Work on Building Confidence
Ease the stress of worrying about being “good enough” by working up your confidence. Practice answers to common interview questions (there are tons available to search through online), develop strong questions to ask your interviewers, and research the organizations that you’ve scored interviews with. If you’re able, buy a new outfit that will make you feel great when you walk in to your interview.