Learning to Embrace Job Search Stress

These days, stress is no stranger in our day-to-day lives and looking for work/starting a new job is no exception. Searching for a job is stressful for multiple reasons:

• You are unsure of when your next opportunity will begin.
• After meeting with a stranger just once or twice, they will decide whether you get hired and have a job and a steady income again.
  
• There are unknowns no matter how much research you do. After one or two short interviews it is often hard to fully know if an organization is aligned with your values and style. Did the interviewer accurately portray the organization and job? Will your future co-workers be supportive?
• The first day of your new job will be stressful as you meet new people and learn new processes and procedures.
• There will be anxiety over your performance as you get up to speed and learn what is expected of you in your new role.
• It takes time to build relationships based on trust for both you and your employer.
  
  As difficult as it may seem, try to learn to embrace the stress, as it means that you are moving forward, achieving new objectives, and making progress towards your goals. Accept that there will always be some stress when you do something for the first time. When you enter the unknowns of a job search or starting a new job it will be challenging and stressful. Try to use that energy to your advantage, and if you feel physically anxious, think of it as your body preparing you for the challenge so that you can succeed.
  
  Research actually shows that worrying about stress is more physically harmful than the original stress itself.
  
  There will be some form of stress in every stage of your journey, from not having a job to looking for a job, to starting a new job. So, try to embrace the stress that keeps you moving forward with positivity and optimism.