I can’t speak for anyone else, but I can tell you that I’ve had enough of living in unprecedented times! Give me precedented, give me utterly uneventful.
Sadly, that isn’t likely to happen anytime soon, so how can we all survive?
One of the biggest challenges is the economic uncertainty that so many of us are dealing with now, especially job-seekers. Whether you’re looking for something new because you’ve lost a job or simply because you’re unhappy with your current role, finding a good fit job right now can feel incredibly overwhelming. Add additional uncertainty to that, like what might happen to Social Security and whether your data is floating around out there for anyone to see, and things can feel unsurmountable.
But take a nice deep breath. While things are difficult right now, there are still things you can do, and there are still jobs you can find.
The first thing to do is make sure your information is up to date. Are your most recent roles and skills captured in your resume and LinkedIn profile? Are you speaking to your strengths and accomplishments? Are there skills you need to learn or sharpen before hiring managers will take you seriously?
Next, reach out to your network with a specific ask. No, that ask isn’t “Can you get me a job.” It’s more like brainstorming for your next thing or finding other connections. The people you already know may have some great ideas for you, but if you have specific parameters around your next job, be sure to clarify those so folks don’t steer you in a direction you don’t want.
Be open to new things. They can be intimidating, but they can also be rich and rewarding, as long as you’re clear about what you really need. You might, for example, think about jobs in adjacent industries or fields. Or you might consider something that isn’t quite right, in order to learn a new skill.
And through it all, focus on your resilience. This will serve you in the job search, but also in life as things continue to be challenging. This isn’t a fixed quality, something you either have or don’t. Instead, it’s an adaptation skill we build over the course of our lives as we face adversity and stress. To build more resilience, start by practicing acceptance. This isn’t the same as passivity or blind compliance. Instead, it’s an understanding that things are as they are, and you can only change parts of the situation. Focus on those things you can change, and acknowledge that sometimes things are hard. Work, too, on accepting your feelings. It’s true that lots of situations are unfair, and pretending you don’t feel that way isn’t going to make you feel better.
Then, reach out to people. This, you’ll notice, is much the same as what I said earlier about reactivating your network. The people who already know you can be great sources of information, support, and just plain fun. Be sure to prioritize relationships when things get difficult. It’s often the case that the only way out is through, and I always find that going through something unpleasant is more bearable if I’m not doing it alone.
Finally, give yourself room for self-care. I know I harp on this a lot, but that’s because it’s so easy for us to ignore it. It can feel selfish to go to be early when your best friend has just been laid off. It’s easy to think there isn’t time in the day to exercise. But strengthening your resources, being good to yourself, will give you the wherewithal to keep working towards your goals.
