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Prevent Job Search Burnout with These Steps

Woman looking stressed out while people around her are telling her what to do

Sending out countless resumes only to hear nothing back can take a toll on your mental health. It can be extra difficult to find a job when you’re a student, as you need something that fits into your schedule but you may lack work experience. To see success, you need to change your approach to the job search. Instead of focusing on quantity, shift the emphasis to quality. This will prevent you from wasting time applying for jobs that are not a good fit for you and allow you to craft compelling application letters that land you an interview.

1. Decide What You Want from the Job

Before you can become more selective about which positions to apply for, you need to figure out what you want to gain from your job. The six main factors are salary, location, type of work, the skills or experience you’ll gain, and company culture. To guide your search going forward, rank these factors according to how important they are to you.

2. Find Out What Companies Can Fulfill These Criteria

Up until now, you’ve likely searched for jobs by looking for advertised positions and applying for all those that seem like they could be suitable. However, if you want to avoid burnout, a better method is to start by researching businesses you think may fulfill your criteria and then finding out if they’re hiring.

3. Connect with People at the Company

Beyond checking if the companies you’re interested in have any jobs listed, reach out to their employees — particularly managers. You should have plenty of opportunities to do this at the university, including by talking to other students who work for the company and asking for the contact information of key people and by attending job fairs or similar events on campus.

You can also reach out to employees at the company through LinkedIn. Although it may feel intimidating to send a message cold, this can be effective if you do it right. Choose employees you can relate to — perhaps alumni of your university, people who share a common interest with you, or employees who hold the kind of position you would like to pursue after you graduate. Alternatively, you could introduce yourself after commenting on a LinkedIn post. End your message by asking for a 15-minute meeting to learn about opportunities at the company and what it would be like to work there.

4. Talk to a Career Consultant

Take advantage of the career services your university offers. You can receive support for every stage of the job search process — from fine tuning your resume before you send it to interview tips. Your career centre may also be able to put you in touch with companies who are looking for workers or interns.

If one of the reasons you’re looking for a job is you want to move into better student housing, you can stop stressing: King Street Towers has affordable student rentals. Waterloo students live just steps from campus and have everything they need on site, including fitness centres, a yoga studio, a theatre, and a rooftop fireplace. Book your tour today.

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