Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Job Searching: Impatience, Frustration, Stress - The Struggle Is Real

As of late, the challenges of seeking employment have been getting to me.

I'm currently waiting to hear back from my previous employer about a position that was opened up at the end of June, which I interviewed for, but have not heard back from yet. Because I was the first person to interview and the hiring managers needed to go through the formal process by fielding other potential candidates, I'm just playing the waiting game with them. It's like having a staring contest with a wall right now. I feel so helpless and each day that passes, I lose a little hope that they'd fill this position with my shoes.

And I've been really trying to hold off on reaching out to others to continue my search so as not to waste peoples' time (recruiters, friends, old colleagues, etc.) since I'm waiting on my old employer to give me an answer, but I'm also feeling foolish for somewhat putting my eggs in one basket with them.
I do have a daily job search on Indeed and LinkedIN that automatically emails me with new positions. But the results haven't been so fruitful. In the two months I've been hunting, less than 10 opportunities have been appealing. In fact, I've only applied to maybe 5 positions.

Optimism is the name of the game when you go through your job search, but it's hard to stay so positive every day. Some days I feel fine and confident that I will get picked up by a great company. Other days I'm impatient, frustrated, and stressed out about landing a job. And on those days I don't know what to do with myself because waiting is all I have left to do; I've done all the admin around the house, cleaning, maintenance, grocery shopping, exercise and reading that I can take.

With all the free time, your mind wanders. You think - did I make the right choices in my past career-wise? Is my resume strong enough? Am I qualified for any of these positions? Why aren't I getting any callbacks for the positions I did apply for? What's wrong with me?!

Friday, July 7, 2017

It's Just A Waiting Game Until The Next Job Comes Along, But In the Meantime...

This is the longest I've been unemployed. I've been doing all the household chores and taking care of all the administrative things that go with owning a home, a car, and having an in-law live with you. I've been taking great care of my health and body since I've had so much time. I've even been able to play basketball at an open gym with some competitive people. Reading more books and keeping up with the news is easier and leisurely, and music is now constantly playing if I'm not reading. All my meals are taken at home and self-made; grocery shopping in the middle of the day is wonderful, and avoiding doing anything during rush hour is the most genius thing ever. The fact that my weekends can be spent more freely is exciting because of how productive I am during the week. Things are so much more different when I have a regular day job.

But despite all the wonderful things I've been able to do during this FUNemployment and all the productive / positive things I've done for this house, I feel strangely useless. Part of the reason is that I'm not earning any income. I am not supporting my family and household financially. In fact, I am trying my best to minimize my expenses. Has my income defined my usefulness? I'm sure it hasn't, but why is this the resulting feeling?


and long term travelers, have any of you felt this way? If so, how do you cope?