Age 50 Plus Career Coach Blog

You’ve been looking for a job for over six months and discouragement is a mild description of your attitude.  It may seem like you’re sinking deeper and deeper into the well with no lifeline.  What can you do to restore your faith in yourself and your confidence in your ability to find a job?  You know your attitude affects the persona you present at an interview so it’s critical for your mental health as well as your ability to land that job.  It’s time to take a break! 

Give yourself a week of NOT job hunting. No searching the job boards, no sending resumes, no phone calls, or emails.  Instead focus your “vacation” time on restoring your mental and physical health. Create a vacation schedule includes rest, exercise, and mental health restoration. Start with an exercise program—whether it’s working out on a treadmill, taking a long walk, swimming, stretching, yoga, or whatever is available to you—do it every day for at least 45 minutes. Eat healthfully by planning well-balanced meals. 

Devote 30 minutes each day to restoring your mental well being by meditating. If that sounds too foreign to you, then spend the 30 minutes thinking and writing about yourself—your best qualities—the things about you that make you the unique and valuable person that you are. If you have negative thoughts, just push them aside and focus on a positive one. This isn’t always easy when you’re in a period of discouragement, but just note one or two positives to start.  If you practice every day you will discover more.

Restart your job search after your “vacation.”  Don’t just pick up where you left off, but start all over.  Carefully review your job search goals. If the jobs in your field have pretty much dried up, identify the skills you have that are transferable to another position. Conduct some informational interviews to verify your suitability and get more data.  Revise your resume.  Make sure your resume is focused on a particular job title. You need a different resume for each position title.  Do your listed skills support the position for which you are applying?  You may need to reorder or add skills, depending on the position description.  

Searching for a job is a job and you may need a break—a “vacation” to restore your energy and gather your strength. Take a little time off to refocus and come back to your job search renewed.