How to prepare yourself for the search

The job market is tougher than it’s been in a long time. Psychologist Fiona Murden explains how to get yourself in the mindset for the hunt…

Focus on what you can control

You have no say over the fact that the marketplace is bleak and there are fewer opportunities, so if you start despairing about those things, you’ll be left feeling helpless. Turn your attention to searching and applying for jobs, rather than worrying about the state of the economy.

Tell everyone you’re looking for work

And I mean absolutely every person you know or meet. Tell them what skills you have in a clear, concise way – these are soundbites they can take away and tell someone else. When people have their ears open to opportunities, leads crop up.

The dream job can wait

In the current market, it’s just about getting yourself into a work environment and bringing some money in. You’ve got your whole life to craft your dream career. Besides, if you can do a job you don’t love for a little while, you’ll buy some time for the economy to recover – there might be more jobs out there when you next start searching.

Do something

If you can’t find any work, volunteer – it’ll give you a sense of purpose and teach you skills you can take to paid employment, and could also lead to other opportunities. For instance, if you start working in your local charity shop, you might be asked to manage it for a couple of days per week. Sitting at home feeling idle erodes your confidence – plus, giving back makes us feel good.

Remember: now isn’t always

Ask yourself: will this matter in 10 years? It feels like the whole world fell apart this year, but one day you’ll look back and this period won’t matter so much. The brain will believe what it’s trained to believe – so, every morning, take a couple of minutes to visualise yourself coping, feeling confident and living your life on the other side.

Find support

Join a job-hunters’ Facebook group or set up a WhatsApp group between acquaintances who are going through the same thing. It’s a good way of sharing frustrations and disappointments. And when someone in the group does get a job, it shows there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Mirror Thinking: How Role Models Make Us Human by Fiona Murden is out now (£16.99, Bloomsbury)