10 tips for surviving your job hunt

2020 was a banner year for unemployment. If you or your loved ones experienced a loss of income this past year, first of all: you are definitely not alone. Many governments around the world — not the least in the U.S. — left their citizens to scramble to adapt. For many, the pandemic has truly highlighted the direct connection between financial stability and mental wellbeing.

Going through the gauntlet of job hunting in normal circumstances, let alone during a global pandemic, can be exhausting and demoralizing.

Here are five professional tips and accompanying resources I’ve found helpful if you are currently wading through the process:

Make job boards work for you

The most popular sites for job listings are definitely Indeed and LinkedIn, but Glassdoor is also a good resource. I tend to search as narrowly as I can to avoid getting irrelevant or outdated results. For example, Indeed has a pretty comprehensive filter system, so tinker around until you find the most effective combination.

Check out company websites as well; many will neglect to push out their listings to the main job boards. You may even have better luck applying directly through the website rather than a sketchy job portal where your application will just get lost in the abyss.

Don’t just doomscroll

There are plenty of Twitter and Facebook groups that share listings, so make sure you’re signed up for them within your industry/area of interest. I’m a member of several, including:

Freelance Writing Jobs
Study Hall
Writers of Color
Asian American Journalists Association
Binders Full of Women and Nonbinary Writers of Color
A university alumni group

Many of these groups also offer newsletters and listservs where you can sign up for more. A great example of this is Mandy Hofmockel’s free journalism jobs newsletter. (There is also a paid version, but you can still get a lot out of the free edition if you’re low on funds.)

Keep up with events

Keep an eye out for free or low-cost events to attend. Not only will you have the opportunity to learn something new or sharpen an existing skill, you also have the opportunity to ~network~ (I know, gross). The good news is it’s more than likely that people will either be in the same boat as you, or be willing to extend a hand if you can connect afterward. Check out my guide for networking virtually for more ideas if you don’t know where to start.

Use the right design tools

I designed my website using Squarespace and my resume using Canva. Both platforms were pretty easy to use and, because I’m a perfectionist, they allowed me to tinker to get things just so. Knowing how to use hex codes and basic HTML can go a long way in your customization, and both are surprisingly easy to learn. Having a well-designed online presence and resume will signal to potential employers that not only are you competent and savvy, but that you care about the finer details.

Just ask!

I know it’s cheesy, but don’t be afraid to ask for help. Putting out a note on social media or reaching out to a friend who you know is resourceful can be more helpful than you might think. Make plans to workshop your LinkedIn profiles, resumes, or cover letters together. Vent about the twelfth job that’s ghosted you this month. Ask if anyone has contacts at the company you’re applying to. You’ll never know what could turn up.

If you’re like me, you may have also gotten sucked into the freelance game in a panic that the work could dry up any moment, and ended up with projects coming out of your ears and the desperate need to slow down. (I do not recommend this.)

Whether you’re working yourself to the bone to stay on top of your bills or treading water while looking for something new, I also wanted to share five ways to take a break, step back, and prevent burnout:

Take breaks

This one is obvious, but it’s true. I’m a big fan of designating a day or two where I don’t think about work at all for 24 to 48 hours. For me, this is usually the weekend, but if I feel the need to take a mental health day creeping up, I’ll do my best to clear my calendar in advance.

Set an away message on your email. Write a task list before closing your laptop so you’ll be ready to go when you open it back up again. Make a plan for what you want to do on your day off and try to include at least one activity where you go outside, even if it’s a 20 minute walk to go get coffee. Being consistent with these breaks has been enormously helpful to me and has reduced my overall stress.

Block out your time

I’ve recently been trying the pomodoro method of time blocking. The shorter chunks of time help me focus better than working straight through, force me to take regular breaks, and I find that most of my tasks end up being manageable within that time frame regardless.

The technique is simple:

Set a timer for 25 minutes and work on a task.
When the timer goes off, take a short, 5-7 minute break away from your screen. Stretch, make some tea, eat a snack, water your plants, etc.
After three or four 25-minute rounds, take a longer 20-30 minute break.

Create a space

Of course, it is optimal to have a physical room where you can close the door and be in Productive Mode, but that is just not the reality for a lot of us. If you can find a corner to put a little desk like I have, that is also great. However, if you share a small place with at least one other person, personal space is tough to come by.

I recommend having a personal digital space, where your desktop is organized down to the last file, with all folders where they need to be. One of my goals is to get to inbox zero; while I may have zero unread emails, I never delete anything and have nearly four years of miscellaneous nonsense floating around in the void.

Knowing that all your materials are where they’re supposed to be will reduce mental clutter and make your life feel more streamlined. And, as soon as you shut down your computer, you can simultaneously mentally shut down your work brain knowing everything is in its place.

Start a personal project

As my best friend who doesn’t know she’s my best friend Marie Kondo says, do things that spark joy. A personal project is not only a creative outlet, but also something to focus on that isn’t draining. This can be literally anything: painting, working toward a fitness goal, cooking or baking, etc. My project this year is writing 365 poems in 365 days, each accompanied by a photo of a sunset. (You can check it out here.)

Find help

I’ve been going to therapy for about five months now and it’s made an incalculable difference. I am enormously fortunate that my health insurance covers telehealth visits at no extra cost during this time, but I know that is not a possibility for so many.

If you are insured, contact your company and ask about mental healthcare options. If you are seeking individual therapy, many practitioners will offer sliding scale payment options.

Psychology Today offers a comprehensive “find a therapist” search function, including teletherapy, treatment centers, and support groups.

Here are some additional resources: