Helping graduates to mentally prepare for the job hunt

Leaving university and applying for jobs can be an emotional rollercoaster - with failed applications having a particularly negative effect. Gabriela Whitehead explains how to support graduates' mental health as they look for work

It is well documented that searching for a job can be a stressful time for individuals, independent of their professional experience and academic background. As well as finding the time to find suitable positions and prepare application documents, people need to deal with the feelings associated with the interview process and the potential rejections of their job application.

Certain personal circumstances, such as dissatisfaction with their current job role or financial instability due to long periods of unemployment, can also put additional pressure on those looking for work. This is because the longer it takes to succeed in securing a new job, the longer their current situation and general sense of wellbeing is aggravated.  

From a wider perspective, these individuals are facing an increasingly highly competitive labour market as people are boosting their career profile and personal skillset by engaging in lifelong learning programmes, undertaking vocational training or attaining a higher education degree or equivalent education. In Europe, for example, just over 11% of adults were participating in some form of education or vocational training in 2018, with the projections showing that most employment opportunities in 2025 will be taken by individuals with medium and high-level qualifications.1

At the same time, due to the geographical expansion of businesses and the perceived value of international experience in the corporate environment, more people are willing to relocate abroad in the pursuit of work, changing locations as well as areas of work with the intention to pursue a borderless career path.2

Although the current coronavirus pandemic may have considerably slowed down the mobility rate of expatriates, the interest in new learning arrangements, namely e-learning and online courses or training, has increased as a result of the lockdown imposed by most governments and social distancing norms.3 In this environment, the job market can be daunting for many but, in particular, for recent graduates as they make the transition from academia to the workplace, and it is likely they will need to send several job applications before they secure a suitable position.

Moreover, it is a common behaviour for individuals to perceive their careers and jobs as part of their identity, drawing upon their role or profession to construct their sense of self. As a result, recognition of achievements by peers as well as failures in their career path, such as rejected job applications and unsuccessful interviews, can also generate undesired feelings for the individuals, such as discouragement, stress and depression, all of which may have an adverse impact on their mental health and general wellbeing.4

Regarding the general experience of searching for employment, there is the added pressure on the graduates of the current employment market and the economic consequences of the current coronavirus pandemic on the economy and businesses. For instance, the period of unemployment can be heavily affected by a recession in many countries as well as the travel restrictions imposed by many governments. This means that graduates are faced with a reduced job pool in certain industries and areas of work and limited opportunities to seek employment outside their country of residency.

There are different ways graduates can be supported to manage their emotions during the job search experience. Employers, for example, can offer and follow a clear recruitment process and provide adequate feedback to understand what to expect and prepare for each stage of their job application. This will also prevent emotional fatigue that results from a long recruiting process and allows them to move on with their next application. At the same time, career advisers can help graduates to consider the feedback from the employers to re-evaluate their application, from the creation of their CV to how the graduates prepare themselves for the job interview. By assuming an 'outsider' perspective, graduates can identify gaps in their applications and seek ways for improvement for the next job opportunity.

Another important element to support the graduates' wellbeing and mental health is to view the process of job search as a positive experience and as an opportunity to explore and understand the psychological state of development it entails.5 Creating a personal strategy to structure the job search, being open to change and learning to be resilient are among the personal qualities gained.

Career advisers can help graduates in creating a personal development plan based on this human capital, which can be eventually transferred to the workplace. These development goals may include flexibility, confidence in oneself to pursue a goal by identifying different paths and commitment to putting the necessary effort to overcome obstacles, persist in their task and complete a project.6

Finally, employers and career advisers can direct the graduates to online resources for further training, coaching sessions or workshops, many of which are currently free to access as part the worldwide initiative from businesses and education providers to offer support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of Prospects/Jisc

Notes

1. On the way to 2020: data for vocational education and training policies, Cedefop, 2019.
2. The contradictory condition of ‘homelessness’ in the life of the transnational professional, Culture and Organization, 2015.
3. Coronavirus causes surge in interest in new learning arrangements, Cedefop, 2020.
4. Job Loss, Identity, and Mental Health, Dawn R Norris, 2016.
5. The influence and development of psychological capital in the job search context, International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 2019.
6. Ibid.

Written by

Gabriela Whitehead

Head of Digital Transformation and Process Management

GISMA Business School