Job Search
bad job search habits

7 Bad Habits That Might Be Holding Back Your Job Search Efforts

Priscilla, Serenity Amidst Frustration

Here on Serenity Amidst Frustration, you read a lot about developing good habits, throughout unemployment. There are articles with tips on: practicing gratitude, taking care of your whole self, getting wholesome laughs, targeting your job search, engaging in an interesting/skill-building activity, taking breaks, accepting your unemployment status, thriving on hope, maintaining a positive outlook, managing stress.

These habits – no doubt – are beneficial in coping with unemployment and moving forward. I say this from personal experience.

But, while these good habits move you forward, there are also bad habits fighting to hold you back. They drain your energy and negatively affect your job search efforts.

Continue reading “7 Bad Habits That Might Be Holding Back Your Job Search Efforts”

Healthy Practices
Unemployment Causes Stress, Job Search is Stressful

Everything You Must Know About Unemployment Stress – And 5 Stress Management Tips to Consider

Priscilla, Serenity Amidst Frustration

As someone who’s on the search for your next position, you’re likely experiencing stress. After all, you’re going through it: your life has changed. You no longer have a stable source of income, you’re struggling to find a job, you’re living your ‘new normal.’

You’ve reached the point of exhaustion with your unemployed life. Still, stress aside, you’re focused on getting a job fast. You feel you can’t stop and calm down because you need money now.

But, please, reconsider this feeling. I’ve been there. And believe me: stopping to calm down and manage your stress isn’t a bad thing to do, when done in a healthy manner.

Losing a job (or role) and finding a job is stressful. When it comes to looking for employment, 83% of global working adults feel the job search is stressful, according to the results of a HIRED study. Imagine the percentage rate among those unemployed.

Continue reading “Everything You Must Know About Unemployment Stress – And 5 Stress Management Tips to Consider”

Unemployment Commentary
the trauma of unemployment; pain of being unemployed

Living with the Trauma of Unemployment

Priscilla, Serenity Amidst Frustration

Three weeks ago, a relative suffered a traumatic injury from a bad accident. It didn’t look good, when he was first transported to the hospital. He suffered greatly from pain. But, through it all, I’ve been observing him fight back and endure with a strength no human gives.

Through my observations of his experience, I couldn’t help but reflect on the trauma of unemployment.

Continue reading “Living with the Trauma of Unemployment”

Emotional and Mental Health
unemployed during the holidays, job search during the holidays

How to Mentally Survive the Christmas Holiday Season When You Have No Job

Priscilla, Serenity Amidst Frustration

I’m sure you’ll agree with the following statement: surviving the Christmas holiday season with an uplifted spirit is hard, when you’re unemployed.

It reminds you: you’ve gone through the year, without a job offer in sight. It also reminds you of your tight budget, which makes it impossible to buy wonderful gifts for your loved ones.

unemployed during the holidays, job search during the holidays
How to Mentally Survive the Christmas Holiday Season When You Have No Job. Creative Commons Pixabay Original Photo Courtesy of WDnetStudio. Edited by Priscilla.

I won’t even go into its ability to bring feelings of failure and cycles of comparing your career (and yourself) to others.

Continue reading “How to Mentally Survive the Christmas Holiday Season When You Have No Job”

Growth and Development
focus on effort not outcomes, staying positive job search

How Detaching From Outcomes Helped Me Maintain Serenity While Looking for a Job

Priscilla, Serenity Amidst Frustration

While engaged in reflection today, I thought about my lengthy, traditional job search experiences. Upon reflection, I now notice something I didn’t when I started: I (unintentionally) relied on my efforts for the achievement of my goal – getting a job. Too much.

I wanted to re-enter the workforce quickly after my solo experience in elder care. In no way did I want my job search to fail. In no way did I want to experience the trap of long-term unemployment. And, I focused on learning and putting into action every job hunt tip and method I could with the hope of getting hired quickly.

This did more harm than good.

Continue reading “How Detaching From Outcomes Helped Me Maintain Serenity While Looking for a Job”

Unemployment Commentary3 Comments
unemployed can't find a job. Why I Tell My MBA Students to Stop Looking for a Job and Join the Gig Economy

Scarce Traditional Jobs or Plentiful Independent Work?

Priscilla, Serenity Amidst Frustration

The job market has changed severely since the Great Recession (though massive layoffs occurred before). The United States’ unemployment rate still hovers at 5.0% (4.9% in the UK). What also hasn’t changed much, as recently reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, is the number of ‘unemployed persons’: 7.9 million.

Without question, this is a significant number of people dealing with unemployment. And the number of ‘long-term unemployed persons’ (those without jobs for 27 weeks or more) is worth noting: 2.0 million people.

Continue reading “Scarce Traditional Jobs or Plentiful Independent Work?”