Job searching and your mental health: five things worth remembering

If you’re looking for work right now, you probably know how exhausting it can be. And it’s not always about your skills or your CV. It’s the waiting. Applying for jobs and hearing nothing back. Getting a rejection after you’d started to feel hopeful again.

This Mental Health Month, the theme is Together We Thrive. And sometimes, thriving simply means getting through a tough job search without losing confidence in yourself along the way.

A few things can genuinely help:

• Be kind to yourself, not just productive. What some people call “job search depression” (the frustration, self-doubt and exhaustion that build up after weeks or months of searching) is a real and common response to a genuinely hard process. It is not a sign you’re doing it wrong.
• Build a routine by setting aside dedicated hours for applications and research, then switch off and do something else. If your job search takes over every waking hour, you’re more likely to burn out than find a job.
• Don’t do it on your own. Whether that’s a friend who checks in, a family member, or someone at an organisation like ours, having a person in your corner makes the setbacks easier to absorb.
• Set goals you can actually achieve this week, rather than worrying about where you’ll be a year from now. Applying for three roles that are a good fit is a much better use of your Tuesday than doom-scrolling through 20 job ads you’re not even sure you want.
• Know when it’s time to reach out for extra support. If the stress of looking for work starts to feel like more than you can manage, talking to your GP, Beyond Blue or a support service can help. Looking for a job is important, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of your wellbeing.

We see the value of steady, judgement-free support play out all the time. Lauren had lost confidence after time away from the workforce and wasn’t sure her experience still counted for much. What helped wasn’t pressure. It was having a mentor who listened, understood where she was at and gave her the space to move at her own pace.

I walked in with very little confidence, but I was encouraged along the way.” (Lauren)

Read Lauren’s story.

If your own job search is starting to feel like a lot, our employment consultants are here to help. They can support you to find work while also making sure you’re looking after yourself along the way. Reach out to CoAct today.

And if it’s your broader mental health, not just your job search, that needs support, we’re here for that too . If you’re an NDIS participant, our NDIS Support Coordination team can help. Our counselling and psychology service, Nurah, is also part of the CoAct family and is there when you need a little extra support.

Click here to contact us and find out how we can help.