The Pre-Search
Job searching is stressful due to a number of variables often outside of our control. To mitigate we educate ourselves, study and research on how to best prepare. But, there is actually a decent amount of stress around job searching we bring on ourselves. For example, mentally switching from ‘gainfully employed’ one day (even with buildup) to ‘job search mode’ the next.
To help decrease self-induced stress there is some work that can be done pre-search that will bring your search anxiety down a few notches.
Schedule Job Reflection - Just like a performance review, you should schedule times when you reflect on your job. This reflection should focus on key areas that are important to you in a job (culture, growth, money, etc). If you keep in touch with yourself about your job, then a job search is less likely to come out of the blue and you can start laying the foundation for a search before it needs to happen.
Do Market Research - Pick a few blogs/news outlets/twitter accounts that you enjoy and keep a general pulse on what’s happening in the market. The more you know, the easier it will be to navigate where you do/don’t want to be working in the future and what you do/don’t want to be working on.
Practice Interviewing - I highly recommend interviewing outside of your organization at least once a year. Interviewing, like literally anything else, is a learned skill and taking multiple year breaks can add an unnecessary intimidation factor to a job search. If you really don’t want to do this, I would ask a friend and/or pay someone for their time who recently interviewed and really discuss the process, conversations, etc, so you can stay up to date with how interviews are being conducted and what you would be asked.
Make a Bad Day Plan - It is human nature to have a bad day, or many bad days, at work and want to quit (BEEN THERE!). But, down times aren’t often when we make the best life decisions. To ensure you’re making the right choice, I find it helpful to set a bad day(s) plan. This plan will lay out how you handle bad days at work. Maybe you take a few days off to reset, maybe you talk to a coach/mentor/friend, or maybe there is someone else at work that you can confide in. There’s no right/wrong way to take care of yourself in these situations, but creating space and getting advice from others can help ensure you start a job search for the right reasons and don’t leave a job prematurely.
Reply to Recruiters with Future Interest - Every once in awhile you should scan your LinkedIn inmail and/or your email and see if you have gotten any interesting outreach. If you are contacted by a company that peaks your interest, respond to the recruiter and tell them you are into it, but not looking at this time and see if they’d reach out again in a few months. It’s no work for you and when you’re ready to look, you’ve already started a relationship with someone on the inside.