The job search and interview cycle can be a stressful process. Applications get ignored, interviews drag on, anxiety, stress, and rejection-based depression can all take hold. However, these mental health concerns can also affect your performance and effectiveness in interviews and skills testing.
The temptation to stay up later, look farther, and train harder tends to come on strong in the face of adversity and what seems like an endless state of mental influx. Maintaining your mental health at all times is helpful, but during the IT job search phase, it’s critical.
Here are a few practical roles mental health awareness plays in the hiring process:
Rejection is a routine but uncomfortable part of the job search, interview, and hiring process. Most candidates expect to be rejected a time or two, but depending on the type of IT role you’re looking for are where those rejections can stack up quickly. Over time, one can begin to feel hopeless. Prioritizing your mental health by creating positivity surrounding rejection helps you cultivate resilience and continue pursuing the perfect fit. A few ways to add positivity include monitoring self-talk, reaching out for support, and even compiling a list of your achievements.
It’s easy to take the first IT job that pops up instead of pursuing the job you really want or the position that’s truly aligned with your goals. Whenever finances are concerned, it’s easy to feel obligated to settle or make exceptions just to land the role. When you’re focused on maintaining strong mental health, it’s easier to recall why you’re looking, what you’re looking for, and what is best for you.
Increasing your awareness of the impact and prioritizing personal welling into the job search empowers you to stay productive and focused during. This state of mind promotes patience and contentedness that reminds you of your big-picture goals and the outcome you’re looking for in your next IT role.
If you’re looking for your next IT role, here are five tips to help you practice positive mental health patterns:
By increasing awareness of mental health needs and prioritizing healthy habits, you can thrive and even enjoy the process of waiting for the best fit to surface, for the right call to come in, and for the right connections to be made.