Five wines to get you through your job search

Instead of whining about how hard it is to find a job, wine about it! Pair these wines with each step of your job search journey to make it, well, suck a little less.

Want to whine about your job? Pour a glass and join the party.

When you spend about 40 hours a week dealing with annoying co-workers, being micromanaged by a toxic boss, or serving as a human punching bag for angry customers, there are only two ways to relieve your stress: drink your weight in wine or get a better job.

Now, we might not exactly be what you would call a sommelier, but we do happen to know a lot about drinking wine and finding jobs. So, stop whining, pop a cork, and see which wines we would pair with each step of your job search journey.

Searching: Cabernet Sauvignon

It doesn’t matter how you got here—you reached the final straw with your tyrant boss or incompetent co-workers, you lost your job, or you’re a college grad looking to break into the job market—all that matters is that this is where you are now, and it’s a pretty tough place.

Getting motivated to start a job search takes strength and determination, so you’ll want a wine that can stand on its own and make its presence known. Gotta go for a Cab when you’re looking for strong and bold with a long finish. You’re in this for the long haul, so your wine has to hold up, too. Enjoy a glass of Cabernet now because tomorrow, it will be all about updating your resume and searching for jobs.

Applying: Pinot Noir or Sauvignon Blanc

OK, so you’ve applied to countless jobs, and it seems as though your applications are getting lost in the black hole of the Internet and recruiters are ghosting you left and right. What we’re trying to say is, you have yet to hear back from any jobs, and your phone is drier than the glass of Sauvignon Blanc you just poured.

You feel as if you need to be a bit more aggressive but don’t want to come on too strong. That’s when the strong lead of a Pinot Noir or the aggressive fruitiness of a Sauvignon Blanc can come in handy. Both of them are pleasant and very drinkable when making a great first impression— much like your resume and applications you’ve submitted.

Networking: Riesling or Merlot

When it comes to drinks and networking, there are two approaches. You should play it safe with a white at events— red wine can not only stain your teeth, but also—heaven forbid—someone could accidentally bump into you, causing you to spill on yourself, another guest, or the carpet. Instead, a light-bodied Riesling should give you that little something-something to help calm any social anxiety you may feel but shouldn’t cause you to get wastey-pants.

However, when you’re building connections and a social network from the safety of your home, a red can be a good choice. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular wine in the U.S., and who doesn’t want to be popular when building a network? However, you could stand out little bit from the crowd and choose Merlot, a variation of Cabernet, which has an appealing smoothness—definitely a plus when reaching out to new contacts or reconnecting with an old boss.

Interviewing: Zinfandel

While some may think a glass of wine could help calm your pre-interview jitters, you need to wait until after the interview is over and your thank-you notes are sent. But then, bring on the Zinfandel!

You may be thinking of that sweet pink wine that you can buy at the gas station. Nope. We’re talking about an exotic but appealing red. Just as you’re trying to convince that hiring manager that you’re unique and a team player, Zins have the ability to stand on their own but can also go well with barbeque chicken or Thai food. A true team player that won’t leave you feeling like crap the next day, you can wake up feeling fresh and ready to come back in for a second interview, if needed.

Negotiating: Sparkling

Congrats! You did it! You received a job offer, and now it’s time to celebrate. It’s a no-brainer that you’re going to reach for a crisp, sparkling wine that will pair well with your elevated spirits as you reward yourself for a job search well done.

But not so fast. Before you pop the bottle and fill your flute with bubbly, you need to evaluate the job offer and negotiate salary.

You did that? Good. Now drink up because come Monday morning, it’s back to work and unless your name is Matt Bellassai, we’re guessing your new job probably won’t appreciate you getting drunk at your desk. Cheers!

Add some juice to your job search

We get it: Job searching is hard, but whining about it won’t do much to help your cause. You know what will? Joining Monster for free today. As a member, job alerts and expert advice will be emailed to you weekly—plus, you can upload your resume, so recruiters can find you as soon as jobs get posted. Pop the cork on your job search and see all of the ways Monster can spritz up your career.