From what to include on your resume to the tools you need, here’s how to get rid of stress in your job hunt.
Finding a new job isn’t exactly a day at the spa. It’s more like running a slow-motion marathon: you need to update your resume, search for open positions, compose a cover letter, decide on a salary range, update your resume again, practice interviewing, compose another cover letter, apply apply apply, run run run—yeesh! Is your heart trying to climb into your throat?
That’s job search stress, and it’s not going to help you land the perfect gig.
Luckily, we’re here to provide some stress relief. Take a deep breath—in through your nose, out through your mouth. Better? Good. Now here’s everything you need to destress your job search.
Lead with your skills — and apply anyway
You found a great retail job and know the brand inside and out. The thought of sharing it with other customers puts a smile on your face, but there’s one problem: you’ve never worked retail before. Hello, stress!
Take another deep breath—this isn’t as big a problem as it seems. The pandemic has changed everything about work and finding a job—in some ways for the better. We’ve all had to adjust course, hiring managers included. They aren’t just scanning your resume for a neat, linear path through one particular industry. They don’t just want to know where you’ve been; hiring managers want to know what you and your skills can do for their team.
So, you’ve never worked retail. But in your past customer service job, you used communication skills to help clients solve problems. You used time management skills to juggle the kids’ piano lessons, soccer games and karate classes. You used your knowledge of trends and research skills to recommend the best policy to customers.
Emphasizing how your transferrable skills apply to the job you want can help you stand out as a candidate, even if you don’t have the most direct experience in that field. And if you still think you’re not quite up to snuff, you can learn new skills at home for free.!
The right job search tools to get hired quickly
That nightmare of strutting into class after studying for hours, only to realize you focused on the wrong thing? Yeah, we get that level of stress from feeling unprepared. Embarking on a job search can often feel the same way, especially if you’re out of work because of the pandemic. Nobody was prepared for that. But even if you’re up the creek, you’re not without a paddle. You have a unique skillset that makes you perfect for jobs that might not even be on your radar. And CareerBuilder has lots of tools to help you navigate the rough waters of your job search:
- First, make a CareerBuilder profile and upload your resume so that we can do the job hunting for you. We’ll pinpoint jobs that match your qualifications, allowing you to apply to multiple positions in seconds. Use the extra time to soak away your stress in a nice warm bubble bath.
- Don’t have a resume? Here’s an easy guide to writing one. Or let our AI resume builder help you stand out to screeners and managers alike. You can learn more about how companies find your resume here.
- If deciding on a pay range has you biting your nails, you need two things: cuticle cream to soothe your hands and CareerBuilder’s salary checker to soothe your mind. It’ll tell you how much a certain job typically pays in your area so you can go into your interview knowing what your work is worth.
Take time for self-care
Sure, face masks and champagne are great. But bettering yourself is also a form of self-care. You can take a free online course or gain new skills by volunteering in your community. That extra experience will help you be ready for any job opportunity.
And after you’ve updated your CareerBuilder profile and applied to jobs that excite you, relax. Stress can lead to social withdrawal, lack of motivation and even some gnarly physical symptoms. Don’t take our word for it—ask the Mayo Clinic. None of that is going to help you land a job. Get some exercise. Try learning to meditate. Schedule regular time for your favorite hobbies. Be good to yourself and your job search will be good to you.