Mental Health and the Job Search Process

Job searching can be a very stressful process filled with uncertainty, rejection, and pressure. This can become a recipe for poor mental health, especially if we are facing other life stressors at the same time.

While some anxiety is normal when looking for work, it's important to pay attention to our mental health for signs of something more serious.

As a career coach, providing mental health support is out of my scope of practice, which is why I always encourage my clients to build an on-going therapeutic relationship with a registered mental health professional.

A great resource for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) is Healing in Colour -- a directory of BIPOC therapists who are committed to supporting BIPOC clients in all our intersections. Their vision is to support individual and collective healing for BIPOC, which aligns nicely with my own values for my coaching service.

However, if private mental health support is currently inaccessible to you (it can get pricey!), here are five general tips for keeping mentally healthy during the job search process for your consideration.

It is ok to take breaks!

Job searching can be a marathon not a sprint, especially in this economy. Create a timeline and a rough plan for your job search, but make sure to build in rest days, just like if you were training for a marathon.

The risk of going hard and fast in a protracted job search is you could crash and burn(out). Slow and steady wins the race, so take a day off from job searching to give yourself an intentional break.

You won't miss the deadline for your dream job by taking one day off here and there, but you will feel more refreshed when you go back to the search.

Gain more mental health (self) knowledge

Job applications and interviews can be really triggering for some of us, especially if we have traumas around rejection, abandonment, and feeling "not good enough". Although rejection is a normal part of the job search process, it can affect some of us in a deeper way, due to our past.

Ideally, you would be supported by a mental health professional to process these complex emotions while building up your toolkit to deal with future stressors.

However, in the absence of this support, you can also do this work on your own through self-reflection (e.g., journaling, prayer, meditation); talking it through with someone you trust (e.g., friend, [chosen] family member, partner[s], mentor); and seeking out reputable mental health resources (e.g., books, podcasts, videos).

When we understand the underlying patterns, traumas, and core beliefs that affect all parts of our lives - including our careers and professional lives - it can be the first step towards healing and resilience.

Build your confidence in other ways

But rejection still sucks! And repeatedly being turned down can take its toll, even if we begin the job searching process in a healthy mental space.

Look for other ways to build your confidence during the job search. What hobbies, sports, or activities make you feel your best? How can you maintain your confidence outside of the career sphere?

This can go hand-in-hand with the tip above to take breaks. Build in this intentional time to live a balanced life, even during an aggressive job searching process, can reap dividends when it comes time to interview and land the job that you deserve.

Seeking out psychological safety

Although you are probably focused on getting hired, it's never too early to consider how you can maintain your mental health after you have joined the team. One way to do this is to be intentional about seeking out a workplace where you can feel psychological safety.

During the interview process, pay attention to the interviewers and ask key questions at the end to determine if mental health is prioritized in this workplace. Here are some examples of questions you can ask at the end of the interview:

• What is your favourite part of working here? Why?
• Mental health is important to me. Can you tell me more about how this workplace supports the mental health of its employees?
• This position deals with very heavy subject matter. What processes or practices are currently in place to prevent burnout?

Celebrate small wins

Small dopamine hits during a job search process can help motivate us through the most mundane parts. Everyone is different in what they find rewarding, but finding ways to celebrate the small wins (e.g., being invited to interview, getting a job offer, successfully negotiating a higher starting salary) can have big impacts.

Think of it as a way to counteract the negative mental health effects of "small losses". Every non-response after a job application, every "thank you for your application, but..." email, every day that passes without a paycheck can wear us down.

Celebrating small wins can help sustain us and keep us mentally healthy and ready for the long search ahead.

I hope these five tips are helpful to you as you look for your first job, next job, or a new career. Please consider working with a registered mental health professional in addition to a career coach at the same time.

However, I recognize that both services can be financially inaccessible to many people. Keep in mind that there are therapists who offer sliding scales and some universities/colleges also offer counselling services to students.

If you want to work with me for career coaching support, I also offer a special package and pricing for current students, recent graduates (<1 year), and alumni of McGill University and University of British Columbia: School of Population & Public Health.