8/1/10 - De-Stress Your Job Search

De-Stress Your Job Search - From Job Bank USA c/o Beyond.com, Inc.

At this point in your job search, you're probably beginning to realize that job hunting is no easy task. It can be overwhelming and sometimes stressful to balance job searching with everything else going on in your life.

Learning how to effectively manage stress is a key component to a successful job search. If you are currently looking for a job and feeling stressed out, it could make you appear desperate to potential employers. Here are a few steps you can take to help reduce unnecessary stress, automate your job search and ultimately shorten your job hunt.

Get Organized. When searching for a job, there is no excuse for added stress due to clutter and disorganization. It is important to make sure all of your important documents such as your resume, certifications, and proof of identification are easily accessible. Don't forget to keep your schedule handy and to make sure your workspace is clutter free. Being organized allows you to take charge of your job search and helps relieve the pressure when preparing for upcoming interviews or phone calls with employers.

Avoid Procrastination. If you are the type of person that tends to delay doing the things you know you need to do, it can cause unnecessary stress throughout your job search. As soon as you come across a job that interests you, immediately take the next step and set time aside to apply for the position. By making your job search a priority, it reduces the chance that a perfect job could slip through the cracks and also helps reduce job search stress.

Maintain a Routine. It can be easy to get caught up in your job search and become overwhelmed with the amount of work you need to get done to land your next career. It is helpful to create and maintain a set schedule to ensure you are using your time wisely and accomplishing your goals in a timely manner. By maintaining a routine throughout your job search, it helps alleviate stress and ensures that you still have time for fun and relaxation to keep your mind off job hunting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Simplify Your Job Search. Reduce the amount of time you spend job searching by utilizing available online resources that can help automate and streamline the job search process. These services instantly search all major job sites to find relevant job opportunities and automatically apply to each position of interest. There are also resume distribution services that instantly put your resume in the hands of thousands of recruiters, further reducing job search stress by allowing you to be in all the right places at all the right times so you will never miss out on a great job opportunity again!

Evaluate Your Progress. It is important to monitor your job search progress and determine what aspects of your job search are working and if there are areas that could use improvement. Although your ultimate goal is to land your next job, focus on the tasks that you can control, such as the number of resumes you send out, networking events you attend and hours you spend researching. Set realistic milestones and reward yourself each time you achieve a small goal. By understanding where you are in your job search and taking pride in your accomplishments, it not only reduces stress, it helps motivate you to keep going!

Regardless of how long you have been searching for a job, or if you are feeling job search stress, there are many tools and resources available online that can help. Simplify your job search by considering an online service that searches all major job boards to find the jobs that meet your requirements. Gain access to a complete list of jobs that match your requirements and automatically submit your resume and cover letter to the jobs of your choice with one simple click.