Meet the Challenge of Job Hunting

Job hunting can be an exhilarating challenge, an opportunity to shape your future in the way that you want. But it isn't easy.

Your job search probably has not been as straightforward as the ones suggested in some books. Along the way, you may have encountered many problems and frustrations that you didn't expect.

Your job search is probably a wild roller coaster ride as you adjust to change, juggle your finances, make appointments, deal with the hassles, psych yourself up for interviews, and just stay organized - all with no guarantee of result.

The uncertainty of job hunting is often the hardest part of a jobless future looms closer each day. The fear can be paralyzing. Yet you cannot postpone the rest of your life while you are job hunting.

Life goes on, and you must continue to participate. Other crises and challenge arise. You still have obligations to the people in your life. It's little wonder that many job hunters find their personal life strained by the pressures of finding a job.

You don't have to buckle under job-hunting stresses and strains if you can anticipate the more common problems.

Job hunters all report facing similar difficulties as their job search progresses:

- Loss of confidence

- Emotional upheaval

- Loss of hope and motivation

- Difficulties with personal relationships

- Recurring health problems

- Poor sleep and low energy levels

- Disorganization

- Inability to manage finances

Sadly, most job hunters rarely discuss the ups and downs of job hunting with others in the same position. As a result, they don't recognize how common these experiences are. Instead, they believe that they are somehow lacking, and wonder what they did wrong.

You are not a failure if you have experienced any of these difficulties. They are normal reactions to the physically and emotionally demanding process of job hunting. What's important is how you deal with them.

The state of your personal life affects the quality of your job search. It's impossible to maintain an organized, efficient, and thorough job search when you are disorganized, lethargic, emotional, and in ill health. You cannot focus on the mechanics of job hunting - resume writing, interviewing, networking - and deal with personal or health problems. On the other hand, a personal life that is orderly and satisfying will enhance your job search.