You Can Beat the Job Search Blues: 5 + 3 Tips to Get Re-energized

Let's face it: job search is a tedious task, even during the best of times. When you're used to being motivated by others in a team work environment, it's so very difficult to motivate yourself while conducting a job search on your own. Particularly if you're a layoff survivor, you know that the longer you're out of the work, the harder it gets.

So, what can you do to keep up your spirits - to stay on track with your job search? To keep moving toward finding your next job?

Noah Blumenthal, best-selling author of "Be the Hero: Three Powerful Ways to Overcome Challenges in Work and Life," offers his five tips in a CareerBuilder article posted on CNN: 1) Go online; 2) Separate yourself; 3) Have fun; 4) Set a big goal; 5) Go to work. Jump over to the article to read all the details.

While I agree with everything Blumenthal says, as a career coach, I have three more tips (or variations on his themes) to offer you to overcome job search discouragement:

First, get in touch with your personal spirituality and get strength from an inner anchor. For believers, this is probably your God. For others, this may be your connection with nature and all its wonders. (Yes, a pet counts as nature! Pets offer a great source for unconditional love.)

Second, plan your escape time. Now, I don't mean sleeping around the clock. But everyone needs to take purposeful breaks in job search to jump start your creativity. Examples could include a short weekend trip to clear your head and make room for new ideas; take in a free concert; or invite friends over for a potluck dinner.

Third, join free job clubs for face-to-face social interaction with others who understand what you're going through. Empathy is good, as long as it doesn't turn into a pity party. Remember, you're seeking positive energy for rejuvenation. (Read about how "life rewards action" from Rules for Unemployment.)

Bonus tip: I'd be remiss if I didn't encourage you to hire a career coach. The special relationship you form with your coach can do much to help you stay energized and focused.

Whatever you do, some action is better than no acton. If you can stay connected to the "who" that you are, you will project a more powerful presence to all you encounter in your job search.

Wishing you career success in 2010!

Meg

SPECIAL NOTE: I am honored to be a member of the Career Collective, a group of career experts who will each month share their advice and tips to enhance the management of your career. Please link to their blog posts below. Your comments are invited and much appreciated. Follow our hashtag, #careercollective, on Twitter, as well as follow everyone's individual tweets:

@MartinBuckland, Job Search Made Positive

@GayleHoward, Job Search: When It All Turns Sour

@chandlee, Strategy for Getting “Unstuck” and Feeling Better: Watch Lemonade

@heathermundell, Help for the Job Search Blues

@heatherhuhman, 10 Ways to Turn Your Job Search Frown Upside-Down

@WalterAkana, Light at the End of the Tunnel

@resumeservice, Don’t Sweat The Job Search

@careersherpa, Mind Over Matter: Moving Your Stalled Search Forward

@WorkWithIllness, Finding Opportunity in Quicksand

@KatCareerGal, Job-Hunting in a Weak Job Market: 5 Strategies for Staying Upbeat (and Improving Your Chances of Success)

@ErinKennedyCPRW, Dancing in the Rain–Kicking the Job Search Blues

@keppie_careers, What to do when you are discouraged with your job search

@DawnBugni, It's the Little Things

@ValueIntoWords, Restoring Your Joy in Job Search

@jobhuntorg, Just SO VERY Discouraged

@barbarasafani, Making Job Search Fun (Yeah, That’s Right!)

@GLHoffman, How to Overcome the Job Search Negativity

@LaurieBerenson, Ways to Keep Your Glass Half Full

@ExpatCoachMegan, Dealing With Job Search Stress: Getting to the Source of the Problem

Comments

[Miriam Salpeter, Keppie Careers]

Thanks! I agree that taking action is key, and planning breaks is so important. It is easy to get in a run and not even realize it. Thanks for your suggestions!

[Martin Buckland]

All studies show pets have a very positive, psychological effect. Great advice Meg to beat the job search blues!

[Gayle Howard]

Good solid advice Meg. You know I think anything we do, whatever it is, sooner or later "gets old" if we do it all the time. As much as I love pizza sooner or later if I served it up for breakfast, lunch and dinner, I'd tire of it very soon. (hard to believe, I know!). So the idea of taking stock, taking a break and re-energizing is a good one. Particularly for people feeling very down or if the job search has been a long one. Focus and single-minded determination is one thing, but without a break it has the potential to drag you down and take you over! Enjoyed your article.

[Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter]

Hi Meg,
The CareerBuilder article is good - and I couldn't agree more about it's advice to go online, especially via Twitter :)

As well, your suggestion to get strength from an inner anchor is a lovely one. My pet (Louie) was a key source of comfort and healing during my life transition following divorce.

As well, your other tips are, as always, on point!

Great post!

[Career Sherpa]

Meg,
All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy (or Suzy a dull girl). Taking time off to do something fun/different is great advice!

[Susan P. Joyce]

So true, "Life rewards action!" Action is a great spirit lifter, too, and the reality is that without action, nothing happens. Like the single person who stays home watching TV, wondering when Mr/Ms Perfect will stop by. Not how life works.

As a wise friend said, "God (or the Universe, etc.) makes food for the birds, but He doesn't put it into the nests."

[alexis]

Looking for a job can we very tedious and time consuming. It definately wears you down mentally and there is always a need to refresh and revitalize. Thank you for the great advice you offer here.