Managing Anxiety About Finding a Job After College
So you’ve graduated. Congratulations!
But you’re wondering what happens now. Every time you sit down, it feels like a whole hive of honey bees has taken up residence in your belly and you just can’t seem to settle into the idea that you’re done with school and the “real world” is waiting.
What does that mean, and why are you feeling like this? Let’s talk it through together.
Before you dive in, remember that our professionals are always here to help
There are many reasons you may feel anxious about finding work
With a rich job market priming applicants with an expectation of landing pretty much any role they want, it can feel overwhelming to pin down what you’re feeling anxious about right now. But finding a job (and more specifically, a career) is a lot more than the quantity of open positions.
Rejection feels pretty scary
Being rejected from a position or company can hit close to home in really unexpected ways. When you’ve worked hard and given your time and energy to the application or even interview process, you might feel sensitive to the prospect of being told no. This is especially profound when you have a dream job in your mind and move toward applying for it.
Even though jobs that pass you over often have nothing to do with you as a person, rejection can feel super personal. A “no” or just being ghosted by something you put your hope into is a prospect that can feel difficult to face. Even though it doesn’t feel like it, these experiences can help you grow from the feedback you receive or the things you learn about yourself along the way.
Education debt weighs heavily on your mind
College is expensive. The predatory practices of many private loan schemes and the mounting stress of living costs can make you feel like you need to be earning well above the pay grade. It can really strip the shine from possibility when you’re straining under the stress of debt from earning your educational accolades.
You don’t have the experience you wish you did
These long lists of desired skills, tickbox experiences and lengths of time you can’t fathom committing to on every job listing you love have a way of wearing down your confidence. For many recent graduates, these listings feel more like a taunting reminder than a possibility.
You may feel frustrated by the summer jobs you took to pay your bills or like there’s no consistency to the skills you’ve built up. It’s important to remember that skills are gained across a lifetime and in unexpected places, so you may have more to bring to the table than you recognize at first glance.
You’re worried about choosing the “wrong” field
You made it through high school, college and maybe even a postgraduate degree. You committed to that field of study but there’s a few different routes you could take from here and you’re suddenly paralyzed with uncertainty when you’ve been handed the power of making that choice. Deciding what you want to be when you grow up feels like such a fun thing until you’re grown up and suddenly realize you’re not sure you’ve ever made a decision, ever, and ohmygoodness how am I the adult in this situation?
First, let us tell you a secret: you’re supposed to feel this way. Making decisions with life-altering implications is, well, a lot, and the fact that you feel the stress of that is a positive sign about your ability to adult. Choosing a career field is portrayed as a permanent choice but take comfort in the knowledge that if you make a choice you don’t like, you can always take steps to make a new one- and it’s perfectly okay to do so!
Tips to set your sights on success
Take personality and career aptitude tests
There are a number of free tests available on sites like Crystal Knows or 16 Personalities that can help you understand how you think and interact with the world. These kinds of tests can help you identify careers you may want to explore and what to avoid based on your strengths and passions.
Think critically and creatively about your experiences
We mentioned how experience can come from unexpected places- so be unexpected in the way you review yours. That year you volunteered at summer camp or helped your neighbor care for her cat? Those skills and experiences brought something to your capability- don’t be afraid to include that!
Be keyword-smart with your documents
Use the job posting to help you navigate how to work your responses and cover letter. Including the keywords they highlight and the things they consider most important can give you an edge in automated application trackers.
Choose your fighter: tailored vs broad spectrum searching
Identify the approach you want to use in creating your resume and cover letter- then stick with it. You can create a broadly-applicable resume and cover letter and send them out to as many roles as possible, or you can choose to be more specific and tailor your documents to the positions you’re applying for. Whatever you decide, commit to it for a few weeks and see how it works for you.
Track your really good answers to save time (and energy)
A lot of applications ask similar questions about your skills, experiences and opinions on things. When you answer a question and feel you did really well, copy it into a document to refer back to in future applications. This can help you build on your answers and gain confidence in your ability to navigate these questions.
Dreaming isn’t a waste of time, especially now
More than anything else, don’t be afraid to dream. That’s not to say that you should turn down any role that isn’t your dream job. We just want you to give yourself permission to think your way to the stars. Consider your dream job- think about yourself in that role, living that life. Imagine how it might feel, look and grow. Those daydreams can be an informative reflection of what matters to you in your personal and professional life and that’s a priceless gift you can give yourself.
Finding a job after college is scary. It can feel overwhelming, exhilarating, exhausting and absolutely terrifying all at the same time. You aren’t getting it wrong if you’re feeling all these things, but we hope that we’ve offered you some space to breathe amid the uncertainty. If you’re still feeling anxious about adulting, we’re here to help.
