So you are job hunting, could be you are planning on changing jobs or careers, been made redundant, just left school, college or university or you have lost your job.
What we tend to forget about whilst job hunting is our health. Our physical and mental health.
According to the Office for National Statistics, statistics recently published, the number of people unemployed fell to 1.97 million and fell by 154,000. If you are unemployed you are one of 1.97 million people. Therefore you are not alone in your job search.
You will be told on countless occasions that you are not invited for an interview that the employer had high volume of applications and you were not selected, your application has been declined or (hopefully) on most occasions you have been offered an interview. The chance to showcase your talent. The up and down feedback can have a knock on affect to our mental and physical self. Your confidence could be gradually chipped away at as you try to understand why you have not been offered an interview for the job that you are so sure you are right for. You start to question your ability and your skills.
It is easy to grab the crisps and chocolate and drown ourselves in caffeine whilst we fiercely tap away at our keyboard in search for the next job role.
Here are a few tips to stay healthy whilst on the job search:
1. Sleep
Go to bed at a reasonable hour, the same you would if you were working, so you are alert and awake for the next day ahead.
Switch off the computer and mobile phone. Studies have shown that sleeping near a mobile can hinder sleep.
Try and keep the same sleep pattern / routine that you had when you were working, or if it was a bad sleep pattern, here is your chance to create a new one ready for when you land that new job.
2. Plan your search, not in a to-do list
Use your diary to plan your time, plan your time when you will research a company, when you will update your CV, when you will be at an interview, when you will make phone calls to follow up on applications made, also plan your lunch breaks.
3. Get exercise
Wake up in the morning, like you are getting ready for work and get your gym gear on, go for a run or walk, have a sweat, shower and you are ready to face the day of applying for jobs.
And go before businesses start to open so you are ready for when they do to take phone calls, discuss jobs and ready to be called up if you are offered temp employment at a moments notice.
If not, you could end up in the routine of waking up, staying in bed or going straight to your computer and start looking for jobs and your physical health gets ignored. For your mental health it helps to release the 'happy' hormones through exercise.
4. Plan your meals
This will not only help you stick to a financial budget, but also make you aware of what you are eating. It could also help you eat healthier.
5. Stay positive and motivated
You can get a job. Speak with your friends and family tell them how you feel and how you are struggling, there will be an abundance of people supporting you and cheering you on, reminding you what you are capable of.
6. Read your references
Remind yourself what you are capable of. All because employers are declining you, you previously had employers wishing you well.
Further advice and support
Gov.uk - Universal Job Match - https://www.gov.uk/jobsearch
Agency Workers - What you need to know - http://bit.ly/1w90jsz
National Careers Service - Help with your CV - http://bit.ly/19vzbpF