--- title: Artisan Talent - Conquering Your Fears About the Job Search Process description: "- Looking for a job can be scary. Artisan Talent takes the fear out of the job search with these great tips. Happy hunting!" image: https://creative.artisantalent.com/hubfs/Fear_animation.gif --- ![Conquering your fears about the job search process](https://creative.artisantalent.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Fear_animation.gif?width=380&name=Fear_animation.gif) Oct 29, 2019 # Conquering Your Fears About the Job Search Process Most journeys start with a single step. But job searches can be so terrifying that some workers struggle to even begin the walk. Searching for a new job requires confidence that you have marketable skills. However, if you’re just starting a career, you may lack that confidence. And how confident would you be if you were just fired or laid off? What if you’re an older worker with old-school skills? What if your last workplace was so toxic you feel like you have third-degree burns all over your soul? That last one may sound melodramatic, but submitting your resume for potential jobs is hard if you don’t feel confident, no matter what the reason may be. Searching for a new job is like putting out your hand to a crowd of strangers and waiting for someone to shake it. The fear that no one will grab your hand can paralyze your efforts to create a resume, let alone apply to a job. FEAR is a common emotion when you’re on the job hunt. Here’s how to take Forget Everything And Run and turn it into Face Everything And Rise. ## **Common Job Search Fears** ![Common job search fears](https://creative.artisantalent.com/hubfs/Job_Search_1.jpg) The possibility of rejection is what makes the job search so scary. But even freshman psych majors will tell you that taking the first step requires you to confront your fears. [Psychology Today](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/career-transitions/201310/why-is-the-job-search-so-scary) says this fear is really about avoiding what you want and need most in life: > “We resist what is most important to us. We want to choose the perfect job, and we’re afraid we’ll make a mistake. We want to write the perfect resume, respond perfectly to all interview questions, and negotiate the perfect deal. So we procrastinate around all of those activities.” The article suggests that for some people, the job search process is so scary, it can kick up our ancient instincts of flight or freeze. You must overcome these feelings in order to move forward. What are we afraid of and how can we de-escalate that fear? Climb onto the [Artisan Talent](http://www.artisantalent.com) couch for a second so we can address some of the fear that’s holding you back from your next good job: - **Rejection: **If you apply for a job online, there’s a chance that your resume will forever disappear into a void. If you’re emotionally invested in the job you’re applying for, not hearing anything back can shake your confidence. If you receive a rejection from your online application, fine, but what if you’ve taken the time to meet with the company? What if it felt like a fit on your side? Conducting a job search requires you to send out your credentials again and again and face the repeated possibility of rejection. That makes applying to any job a step of courage. - **Embarrassment: **Broadcasting that you are unexpectedly looking for work can make you feel ashamed. This is especially true if you were laid off or fired. Even if it wasn’t your fault, there is still a stigma associated with a layoff or firing that can feel embarrassing. Asking for help via your networking connections is a humbling but necessary exercise for a successful job search. - **“Not Worthy” a.k.a Imposter Syndrome: **Are you kidding? Everyone deserves to live their best life. Most of us spend at least 40 hours a week working, and that’s valuable time that should do more than just pay for your lifestyle. Sadly, we hear all the time how employees are disengaged from their corporate jobs. You must believe that you are worthy of a job that fulfills a fundamental need beyond your paycheck. - **Unqualified: **There is irony in the entry- or middle-level job description that has a long list of requirements that you simply don’t meet yet. The irony is probably along the lines of, “How can I get the job to gain experience when I don’t have the experience to get the job?” We’ve seen a lot of unrealistic job descriptions. Will the employer hold up the search process to wait for someone that has all of their requirements? If you feel like you’re not qualified, remember that it’s a candidate’s market. The unemployment rate is very low so you stand a higher chance of having your resume reviewed and even getting the interview if your qualifications are even a moderately close fit. Ask yourself what core skills are necessary to the job and then apply if you believe you have what it takes. A job search requires a lot of time and energy to find the right fit. One of the issues holding you back may be that you understand how much time the job search process can take. If you’re currently employed and juggling life responsibilities, finding the time to conduct a thorough job search is hard. But no matter how busy you are, if you know deep down that you need to find another job, there are ways to optimize your search process. ## **Get Organized to Overcome Your Job Search Fears** ![Get organized to overcome your job search fears](https://creative.artisantalent.com/hubfs/Job_Search_2.jpg) Everyone knows the story of the tortoise and the hare. When you’re busy with life, the forward motion toward a new job must be incremental, organized, and treated more like a marathon than a sprint. That’s the life lesson of the tortoise: Even small, slow steps can pay off in the end. Since there are seven days in the week, we’ve compiled seven steps you can take toward a new job even if you are busier than a cat in a litter box: - **Monday: **Make Monday “Me Day” by completing some self-analysis. First, start by analyzing what the perfect job would look like. What is the ideal amount of time realistically you want to spend working? What is the ideal commute? Would you rather work from home? Try sitting down at a computer—or even better, with a piece of paper (and no internet to distract you)—and write down your requirements for the next job in your life. Ask yourself the hard questions such as: - **Tuesday **should start with research. Go to a job board like Indeed, LinkedIn, or Monster and search for the type of job you want. Most of these boards allow you to set up alerts that hit your email when a new job in the category you’re searching crops up. Make a list of companies that are hiring. Then go to Glassdoor and look up company reviews. Check out the company’s website. Cross jobs off the list if they don’t meet the standards you wrote down on Monday. Finally, make a second list of keywords that come up again and again in the job ads you’re interested in. Carry that list into Wednesday for a big resume cleanup. - **Wednesday** is Resume Revamp Day. Here are some hard-and-fast rules for your resume revamp: - **Thursday **is Scrub Your Social Day. Employers are going to look at your online presence before they offer you the job. They may even look at it before they offer you an interview. So, go through your Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to make sure your posts and profiles are professional. - **Friday **is a good day for socializing. If you’re conducting a job search, this means reaching out to your network connections and forwarding a copy of your new resume for feedback and possible job leads. Don’t just “spray and pray.” Look at your social media or good old-fashioned contacts list, and roadmap how you can use the connections: - **Saturday **is the day for online applications. Now that you have a list of companies to target, a cleaned-up resume, and a list of leads (hopefully) from your networking connections, start applying. Some do’s and don’ts include: - **Sunday **is prep day for the week. Try to take stock of all you’ve accomplished in the last six days. Set your job search goals for the week, mapping at least one concrete goal for every day of the week. Then take the rest of the day off. Throughout this process, use these tasks to motivate and reward yourself. Pay close attention to even the smallest success and stick with the plan to land a job. We know there is an element of privilege in being able to complete this exercise. For the millions of people that have families, student loans, or other heavy responsibilities to shoulder, just having a paycheck can be a blessing. But that doesn’t mean that they feel happy in their work. Is there a way out? The truth is you simply won’t know unless you find the time to start your job search. If you’re ready, we’ll share the number one thing you should do right now to start your job hunt. Are you ready? ## **Work with a Recruiter to Land a Job** ![Work with a recruiter to land a job](https://creative.artisantalent.com/hubfs/Job_Search_3.jpg) Running toward the next big thing in your life should always start with one call to a recruiter. Firms like [Artisan Talent](http://www.artisantalent.com) offer free advice and help to job seekers (the companies pay our fees so you don’t have to). Having one or two recruiting firms in your corner will speed up your search process and automatically link you to jobs that haven’t even been advertised yet. Don’t be afraid of your success. Reach out your hand to the best in creative staffing. [Call now.](tel:800.216.0600) [![Find Work](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1951043/70e41fff-21f1-488d-9b7d-ff2bd1311a4a.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1951043/70e41fff-21f1-488d-9b7d-ff2bd1311a4a) ### Other Posts You Might Like ![](https://creative.artisantalent.com/hs-fs/file-4082941359-jpg/blog-files/what-overqualified-sometimes-really-means-292x300.jpg?width=436&height=255&name=what-overqualified-sometimes-really-means-292x300.jpg) ### [What "Overqualified" Sometimes Really Means](https://creative.artisantalent.com/what-overqualified-sometimes-really-means/) Posted by [Artisan](https://creative.artisantalent.com/author/artisan) What "Overqualified" Sometimes Really Means If you apply for a job or attend an interview, you ... ![](https://creative.artisantalent.com/hs-fs/file-4158429768-jpg/blog-files/what-to-do-when-youre-overqualified-300x231.jpg?width=436&height=255&name=what-to-do-when-youre-overqualified-300x231.jpg) ### [What to Do When You're Overqualified](https://creative.artisantalent.com/getting-over-the-overqualification-hurdle/) Posted by [Artisan](https://creative.artisantalent.com/author/artisan) What to Do When You're Overqualified Have you been looking for work, only to be told you're ... ![](https://artisantalent.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/revamp-your-resume.jpg) ### [Revamp Your Resume to Impress Freelance Hiring Managers](https://creative.artisantalent.com/revamp-your-resume-to-impress-freelance-hiring-managers/) Posted by [Artisan](https://creative.artisantalent.com/author/artisan) As companies scale back on permanent staff, more look to hire freelance designers and writers ... ![](https://px.ads.linkedin.com/collect/?pid=2250233&fmt=gif) ![](https://px.ads.linkedin.com/collect/?pid=3931793&fmt=gif) ![](https://dc.ads.linkedin.com/collect/?pid=205401&fmt=gif)