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Neurosis over job search

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jrjones9933
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14 May 2017, 7:36 pm

I have some stuff going on in my life right now, and one of those things is looking for a job. I have barely started, and feel like I've already developed a set of neurotic aversions to various parts of the process. So, the obvious solution was to start a thread about it, right? That's a productive activity, maybe.

I also did a search about it, and I have an article to share. Apparently, this happens to lots of people.
http://chameleonresumes.com/2013/11/27/ ... ob-search/

Quote:
Why is sending an email so hard? The act of clicking the mouse to send the electronic message into cyberspace can bring a myriad of opportunities to us. The potential we can capitalize on is infinite by simply reaching out to another from pressing that proverbial ‘send’ button–yet why don’t we do it more often as we should to advance our job search?The answer is that insidious 4-letter word: FEAR. We are afraid sending that email may work. We fear it may not work. We are scared nothing may happen…or everything may happen, for that matter. We have an aversion to the unknown and abhor things when they do not go as planned. We can be frozen fearing we may do it wrong or make a mistake. So in light of all this uncertainty, we wait. We don’t hit send.


I may have to ask people for help at some point, but first I'll face the fear of writing several new resumes and cover letters for different jobs I've found.


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jrjones9933
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15 May 2017, 3:59 pm

I redid my resume just a few months ago, and I found that file. That helped a lot. I think I can improve it even more than I have. I feel anxious about all kinds of things right now, as a function of what's going on in my life, and I have various things to do. In addition to getting things done, I feel some responsibility to keep people abreast of the fact that I'm doing okay and making progress. I find each of these tasks difficult to some extent, and I have to allocate my energy among all these sectors.

I've spent a lot of time resting, listening to the news, and posting here. I consider it necessary on several levels. I really needed some rest and alone time. It takes some subconscious processing time, positive self-talk, and frankly getting a little bored in order for me to get started on tasks that involve self-promotion.


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Scorpius14
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15 May 2017, 9:03 pm

you know you're screwed when you can't even get a volunteer position

no one wants me, and I don't necessarily want to work for them

well last time i did volunteer i had to wait 3 months for them to reply back for an opening, consequences of living in an overpopulated area i suppose



jrjones9933
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15 May 2017, 9:55 pm

I have looked art one volunteer opportunity. It might serve as a good warm-up for interviewing.

Maybe the place where you live just needs more organizations if volunteers go unused.


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seaweed
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15 May 2017, 11:13 pm

i got my recent job at a job fair of all places.
the hardest part was walking through the door.

for 4 months before starting this position i was technically unemployed and holding myself over with unstable commission work. each passing day i grew more anxious and withdrawn, and although i had significantly less to do, i felt increasingly more burdened by every obligation. the job search was the sorest point of all and i was completely aware of this. the combination of anxiety and low self-esteem, diminishing communication capacity and executive functioning, and all the shame piled on top elicited something scary in me. i'm so glad i kicked myself in the ass and went to that job fair.

to be honest i wasn't expecting anything to come from it, i just figured it would be a good step in some forward leaning direction and i was afraid if i didn't i would disintegrate beyond self-repair.

this is all just to say that i feel i can relate to your job search neuroses and i don't have any real advice outside of offering solidarity. but do lean forward. you never know what outcome even a small productive action can have.