Unsuccessful job search — Unemployed people in Quebec—with an average unemployment rate of 22.2 percent—search the longest for jobs in the country. It is normal to feel depression looming on the horizon, but here are some tricks to stay the course while waiting to anchor down.
Clear your mind
Gregory Delrue, Senior Director of Evolution Recruitment, specialist in accounting and finance executive recruitment, states, “People sometimes focus too much on their job search, especially when it stretches out for a long time.” Feeling depressed and stressed about an unsuccessful job search, easily puts itself into the game. Delru affirms, “You can sense when someone is depressed due to a thing we call smiling on the phone.” The absence of a smile can also be felt and someone who seems down or hopeless is evidently less attractive to recruiters. This vicious cycle can be avoided. It is important to have hope, positivity, and perspective. The recruiter suggests taking a small step back to clear your mind over the weekend.
Several books and blogs also give a thousand and one tricks on staying positive and happy. This French one—written by a former unemployed person who chose happiness and turned their situation around—is particularly interesting: www.demainjechange.com/la-recette-du-bonheur/
2. Volunteering
“I’m a biomedical and pharmaceutical engineer. It’s been six months [since I graduated] and despite some interviews, I haven’t had any solid proposals. I’m under the impression that i’m digging a hole in my CV that is diminishing my employability. ” This gleaning testimony in a discussion forum is only one example of this type among many more. Volunteering is an interesting option to avoid this combination of depression and digging holes in your CV. “Volunteers work in their fields and it always looks good on a CV,” Delrue highlights, “Helping people is also gratifying and good for morale.”
3. Training
Another way of avoiding depressing holes in your CV is to take advantage of this inevitable downtime by training in your field. Delrue states, “It’s a way to keep yourself occupied, avoid feeling down, stay up-to-date, and develop a new, useful network for your job search.” New training also dares to give your CV a little extra oomph.
4. Playing sports
All the studies say that sports are a good cure against feeling down and depressed. Practising sport stimulates, among other things, endorphin and serotonin production in the brain. Two hormones that can help you keep or rediscover your smile. Delrue adds, “Sometimes, while speaking with your hockey or soccer teammates, you’ll encounter people looking for someone in their business or who have interesting contacts.” The director continues, never underestimate the importance of your personal, professional network.
5. Staying disciplined
Delrue affirms, “The more we sleep, the more we’re tired!” Maintain certain habits to keep from getting stuck in a rut. Get up early in the morning and avoid staying in your pyjamas until 4 p.m.
6. Having a plan B and C
Your patience, unemployment, or savings is reaching its limit? Maybe it is time to initiate plan B. It might be interesting and easier to find temporary contracts instead of a permanent position. Delrue believes, “Once we have a temporary job, we gain more market value. Someone working in the job market has, at least, ten percent more value than someone who isn’t.”
Plan B isn’t working? There is also plan C. The recruiter adds, “We aren’t obligated to work in a predestined or specialized field when we need money.” Once stress related to financial pressures is alleviated, it is easier to continue looking for better, more suitable work with a good frame of mind. Don’t let an unsuccessful job search put you down.