I have been unemployed since January. I am not in a financial bind and I am blessed to have been able to just chill for the past 2 months and not look for a job.
I feel like I am getting anxiety about searching for a job. For example, I put in an application to Bank of America for a financial advisor position. It has been about 24 hours since I put in the application. Since putting in the application im an just stressed and ruminating on negative thoughts. What if they dont call me? Should I have done my resume differently? Their going to think Im too old… Their going to think it is dumb that I am trying to get my finance degree through an online school (WGU) 20 years after I dropped out of UNLV after 2 years.
Its like I have been stalling for the past 2 months because not doing anything to find a job has been better than the negative outcomes I have going through my head.
I found out about a huge job fair with over 130 companies that is tomorrow. Now tonight I ruminate about… Is my resume setup properly… am I over dressed, underdressed… im trying to switch careers a bit, will there be jobs I want, that they believe im qualified for?.. I can go on and on with scenarios I have worked up in my head.
Just go in there with your best foot forward, it’s all you can do!
Remember it’s also not one-way. Sure, you want the job they can give you. But you have skills to offer to them. Go in there knowing you have much to offer.
In the meantime, have you considered looking for something part-time while you hunt for something more permanent? Can help you not stress so much over the search. That’s what I did when I was unemployed 10+ years ago. Stocked shelves part-time for 3 months til I found a good fit in a full-time gig.
What if my aunt had testicles? Then she would be my uncle.
We can what if ourselves to death and ruminate into oblivion,
My opinion, go to the job fair resume in hand, as far as dress, how would you dress everyday for the job you would be doing. This is who they will see for the next x amount of years.
School, online, brick and mortar, sitting under an oak tree. At the end of the day you have the same degree as everyone else, and that doesn’t mean shit, you learn the job by doing. And the degree doesn’t say how you attended just that you met the requirements, btw online schooling is much harder than classes, it requires discipline and to be a self starter.
I’m guessing based on your info late 30s early 40s? It’s not uncommon these days for people to have a career change mid life. I actually met a local police offer the other day barring his rookie stripes and we got to chatting he’s 51, he was a accountant most of his life and wanted to be a cop, so he applied and they told him pass the academy your in.
So when you think your too old, to be switching gears remember there’s a 51 year old police officer who’s on his first year of the job.
Hey there! Glad you are here. Fury and TMAC gave you good and thoughtful responses so I won’t repeat, but can add that putting on a nighttime meditation app like insight timer is a great way to relax and turn off your brain. Good luck tomorrow, turn this stuff you can’t control over to the universe and report back please!
I was laid off right before Christmas. I can relate to your anxiety. I didn’t see it coming, and I’d worked there for over 6 years. Not a SUPER long gig, but I kinda felt like it was my second family. Also, I live in a small area, so jobs are kinda few.and far-between.
Have you thought of temp agency work in the short-term? Just as something to keep you busy? I’m considering this myself. You can still look for full-time/permanent work while you do temp stuff.
My advice would be to just apply for anything and everything you come across, everyday, pump out those c.v’s , get interviews, once the interviews start rolling in and your doing them in repeat, you find that the anxiety will calm abit, you will get into a postive groove where you will be more confident.
I went through this same situation about a year and a half ago.
As @Fury chris said, you can what if till the cows come home , it will get you no where fast. Just get keep applying to get your confidence up. When you start getting offered roles, and it will happen, you will be so confident that you have options that you will start knocking the interviews out of the park.
And practice " the law of attraction " belive , think and act as if you already have and are in the job/role that you want, and it will come. It has to. Its law. Its universal law.
Meditate on it. Visualise it. Write about it in a morning journal as if your living it already, and it will manifest.
I’ve been laid up at home on Workmans Comp for four and a half months due to an accident at work. I’m just about to be released to go back, and I’m having anxiety about that right now, and it’s affecting my sleep at night. The manager I was working under was a real prick. He and I had some words between us right before I got hurt. I have an escape plan to look for something else, but the job market for a 56 year-old man is not very promising, and I’m too young to retire just yet. Feeling a bit stuck.
Thank you everyone for all your comments… Idont post much, but I felt it would be a good way to try and relieve some of the stress by writing it here.
I did go to the career fair. I have an interview at one of the newest resorts in town scheduled for thursday. Also spoke with a job placement firm that is supposed to call me back this week to get started.
Fuck yes! I think I aced my first interview. The first interview was virtual with the accounts payable controller. He pretty much assured me I will get a call back for another interview with the new manager he hired recently.
Just keep moving forward.
I typically put in a bunch of job applications on indeed . com when i am looking for work. you just upload your resume and a lot of places wont require an initial application.
If it doesnt work there, try somewhere else. Just keep going to job interviews and putting in applications. Eventually something thats right for you will set.
And no one cares you waited so long to go back to school. A lot of people go back to school. No big deal.