Dear JSTOR, I got my master’s degree in june 2015, and spent the last academic year working and travelling. But I am now back home, and it’s time for me to sit down and start looking for a “real job”, something more or less in the field of my studies. But I struggle a lot, can’t seem to focus on my job hunt, and get distracted every time I try to work on my CV or a cover letter. Do you have any (sourced) advice?
Hello friend:
First, let me thank you for your question! This is a great one
and I think applies to all of us, not just those starting their post-academic
careers.Transitioning from one type of environment (university) to
another (the workforce) is always hard and will take time to adjust, as it
requires both a mental shift and change in routine – these changes are really
difficult to manage sometimes and I’m glad you reached out.I would like to compliment you on your decision to take a break
to travel and work for a year – there are many benefits to taking all kinds of
gap years, whether they be before university, between undergraduate/graduate
study, or post-graduation/pre-workforce. Taking time to travel and work can
allow you to meet new people, develop social and problem-solving skills, and
learn practical skills like budget and time management.(1) So: you are doing
OK! Try to focus on the skills you’ve obtained over the last year, the people
you’ve met, and know that you are doing just fine.Searching for a job can be tedious and overwhelming, all at the
same time, but there are a few tactics to keep in mind when participating in
this mostly solitary endeavor.1.
Set goals: perceived goal progress is key to feeling like you
are accomplishing something, and research suggests “that when individuals
perceive goal progress, they are more likely to report positive affect (e.g.
feelings of excitement, pride, enthusiasm)” (2). So what does that mean? Sit
down with a pen and paper, tablet, laptop, whatever, and write out two to three
things you can do for your job search every day that are achievable. Examples
are: look at job postings for 1 hour; write two cover letters; explore the
career sections of 3 companies I admire; update my LinkedIn profile; read 2 job
search articles on The Muse, LinkedIn or other job seeking site; reach out to a
college friend for a recommendation; or ask a trusted friend or advisor to edit
my CV. Accomplishing achievable goals each day will help you feel like you are
progressing, even while waiting to hear back from potential employers.2. Research also suggests that patience with the process is key to
succeeding in obtaining a job offer (3). Impatient job seekers can wind up
getting more frustrated with the search and therefore give up more easily and,
if they do get an offer, are more likely to take the first one they receive –even if there are better opportunities still out there. So how
does one remain patient during the job search? Be sure you have other things to
focus on! Set aside a certain number of hours every day, at the same time –
maintaining a consistent schedule is going to be helpful now with your job
search and will prepare you for employment) and during the rest of the day,
focus on other things and don’t think about your job search. Play Pokemón Go,
write, hang out with us on Tumblr, swim, exercise, draw, watch Jane the Virgin on Netflix, eat
popsicles in the park, go to a zoo, read books that you love, take up
cross-stitching (heck, take up Cross Fitting, even) but do other things! Things
that light your soul on fire, and get you excited to think about. If you don’t
know what those things are, try new ones until you find them! Remember: keep a
schedule. Get up at the same time every weekday and devote 3 to 4 hours to your
job search tasks. Then spend the rest of the day creating anything your heart
desires. Be sure to get some exercise. Move around. Get outside. Hang out with
friends and family.You will be OK. Looking for a job feels like a hopeless,
meaningless endeavor for those who are stuck in it but every time I’ve felt
like I’d never, ever, ever find a new position, you know what? I did. And you
will too.Take care and remember to be
kind to yourself,JSTOR
1. George
Alan Blackburn, Gordon Clark and David Pilgrim. “The Gap Year for Geographers:
Effects and Paradoxes.” Geography, 90.1 (2005): 32-41. Retrieved from
JSTOR: http://www.jstor.org/stable/405740272.
Connie R. Wanberg, Jing Zhu, and Edwin A. J. Van Hooft. “The Job
Search Grind: Perceived Progress, Self-Reactions, and Selfr-Regulation of
Search Effort.” The Academy of Management Journal, 53.4 (2010): 788-807.
Retrieved from JSTOR: http://www.jstor.org/stable/207887923.
Stefano DellaVigna and M. Daniele Paserman. “Job Search and
Impatience.” Journal of Labor Economics, 20.3 (2005): 527-588. Retrieved from
JSTOR: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/430286
Dear JSTOR:
kototyph 