Job Search Blues? 3 Strategies To Ease Anxiety

Looking for a job can create anxiety, but these strategies will help.

Job search anxiety is one of the many factors that may hold women back from professional development. HR Dive showed that 84% of women have the skills to advance their careers, but most of these female professionals feel anxious about their next career moves compared to their male counterparts. The younger ones, in particular, think their skill sets are not useful in the workplace and that their next career move is outside their control.

The good news is that you can overcome job search anxiety and gain control over your professional advancement. To address this dilemma, you must understand the root causes of job search anxiety and identify strategies that can address them.

It’s not easy to search for a job. Unfortunately, the exhausting process and experiences of rejection cause people to feel dread, unease, and stress over time.

“@Hrdive showed that 84% of women have the skills to advance their #careers, but most of these #femaleprofessionals feel anxious about their next career moves compared to their male counterparts. ”

The job application process is difficult for women who are more likely to get rejected due to gender biases. Gender bias is quite common during job applications, even if institutions use AI for recruitment. A research team from Harvard Business School discovered that AI algorithms could provide women greater chances of advancing in applications, but the biases of hiring managers can still prevent them from getting hired. Even companies like Amazon canceled recruitment AI models because they also showed biases against women. Due to these systemic biases, women start to feel more anxious about getting rejected repeatedly.

This tendency can also stem from various factors, such as the process itself. A study conducted by University of Guelph and University of Ottawa researchers discovered that people can get anxiety from job interviews due to fear of negative evaluation. The researchers emphasized that this anxiety does not root in one’s work performance. Instead, this anxiety comes from a fear of social situations where others may judge people negatively.

While this anxiety is caused by valid reasons, these emotions can prevent women from taking the chance to apply for good opportunities. The National Bureau of Economic Research points out that men are more willing to take risks during job hunts and more optimistic about future wages, as compared to women. This optimism and risk tolerance leads to gender disparities in earnings and even career concentrations.

“The job application process is difficult for women who are more likely to get rejected due to gender biases. #Genderbias is quite common during job applications, even if institutions use AI for recruitment. #jobapplication”

It’s critical for women to address their job search anxiety, so that they can develop optimism and risk tolerance and pursue greater job opportunities. Here are three strategies to lessen the difficulty of a job search.

Prepare for the application process. It can be nerve-wracking to communicate with professionals whom you want to impress. Fortunately, you can reduce these anxious feelings by practicing how to communicate with hiring managers or prospective employers.

“It can be nerve-wracking to communicate with professionals whom you want to impress. Fortunately, you can reduce these anxious feelings by practicing how to communicate with hiring managers or prospective employers. #jobinterview #careersuccess”

Your first touchpoint will typically be through cover letters. To make a good first impression, the email cover letter samples by LHH show that you should introduce yourself, summarize your strengths and experiences, and explain what you’re hoping to accomplish. Try practicing how to write cover letters in a concise manner, so that you’ll feel less nervous about making the first contact.

Interviews can also induce anxious feelings, which is why it’s useful to try answering the typical job interview questions listed by The Balance in advance. Through this practice, you’ll feel more confident to answer questions about yourself, your work history, and even your salary during actual interviews.

Connect with fellow professionals. You can also prepare for the application process by connecting with professionals who are in the same boat. Though this will not directly help you find a new job, your newfound connections will help you find comfort during a stressful situation.

Making connections was helpful for Liri Haram, a professional who experienced and survived job search anxiety. Haram shared that joining a Facebook group for tech professionals made her feel like she wasn’t alone during a difficult period. On top of that, she pointed out that joining the group also opened doors for her because she got to attend events with people from the online tech community. In fact, she was even offered a part-time copywriting gig at one of these events. Likewise, you can ease any anxious feelings about your job search and network for your professional growth by joining communities related to your industry.

Know when to seek help. Job search anxiety can also be rooted in social issues and negative experiences in the workplace. So if you’ve experienced any mistreatment, consider getting help for your job search anxiety.

A study on workplace mistreatment for U.S. women highlights that counselors can help students and professionals to learn how to handle any mistreatment during the job application process and more. Aside from that, counselors can also build your leadership, personal management, and interpersonal skills to make you feel more prepared for career advancement. By seeking help from the right professionals, you can overcome your job search anxiety and build your skills for your next career move.

Job search anxiety stems from valid reasons. Fortunately, there are ways to address these uneasy feelings and open yourself to greater opportunities in your career.

Rose Joneses is a lifestyle and business blogger who's planning to make big moves for her career. She's actively working on her confidence and skills to publish her work and become an author.