How to cope with post-grad job search depression

By Michaela Wong of Resume Now

If you feel depressed or pessimistic when looking for a job after college, know you’re not alone. Many graduates have been searching in vain for their dream job during the COVID crisis — if this sounds like you, then you may slowly feel anxiety, pessimism, or depression creeping in.

It’s easy to get lost in these feelings when you graduate and are unemployed, but it’s important that you do not lose your sense of self when you’re having difficulty landing a job. To help you overcome depression and focus on a more positive perspective, here are X methods you can use after graduating to shake off unwanted feelings and start the path towards a successful career.

Even if you’re usually a positive and optimistic person, spending months looking for a job after graduation can be a painstaking and challenging process, especially if it takes longer than you expected to land your new gig.

Some students tend to experience a decline in their well-being or self-confidence. To help you keep your head up, here are some tips on what you can do to prevent depression when looking for a job after graduation.

1. Be Kind to Yourself

If you’re a recent college graduate, you’ve likely been feeling the frustration of entering the job market during one of the most tumultuous times in recent years. With the mass unemployment and high competition due to the pandemic, college graduates are entering the workforce at a natural disadvantage. In times like these, it’s more important than ever to be kind to yourself. According to Roxane Cohen Silver, Ph.D., “it’s important to acknowledge that this uncertainty is stressful, and the feelings you are experiencing are a normal reaction to our new normal.” 

2. End the Negative Feedback Loop

Accepting your grief is an important part of working past your job search frustrations. According to Dr. Sabrina Romanoff, a Harvard-trained psychologist, “[losing your job] can cause a negative feedback loop, where decreased productivity leads to poorer job search performance and undesirable outcomes in the future.”

3. Practice Mindfulness and Meditation

Meditation can become an important part of the process to help you regain your career confidence. Struggling to find a job can make you angry, sad, or anxious, but if you follow a regular meditation regime, you can rid yourself of anxiety and develop resilience and confidence in finding a job. 

Alternatively, you can practice mindfulness by taking 10 minutes to write down how you felt and what you achieved that day, which will help you to analyze your thoughts constructively and let go of negative emotions. Take time for things that promote relaxation and personal well-being – such as a hot shower, a walk, or reading a good book.

4. Focus on What You Can Control    

One of the factors that makes the lengthy job search so depressing is that so much of it is out of your control. It feels like you’re just sitting around, waiting for someone else to change the fate of your job, and often times not even receiving feedback from people that deny you.

A good way to counter this feeling is to use the time, rather than just waiting around, but to build on the relevant professional skills available and to gain new ones that will contribute to your job candidacy. Once you’ve created your LinkedIn profile, polished your resume, and started looking for your dream job, you’ll regain confidence and make yourself a more competitive applicant.

Practicing the above can help you restore your energy and optimism for your career search, keep track of your applications, and keep in touch with your family, friends, and colleagues. While job searching straight out of college can be a frustrating process, you can mitigate your frustrations and learn to cope with your anxiety by taking an intentional, mindful approach to your job search. 

— Michaela Wong is a content creator who helps Resume Now create insightful career development articles on topics like job search depression. She is a graduate of San Diego State University with a background in digital marketing. She also graduated during a difficult economic period and is passionate about helping recently graduated students find their place in the workforce.