Browse our latest insights on on behavioural science, job loss, job search motivation, wellbeing, and more.
Losing a job can be a very transformative experience. Job loss can motivate and stimulate us when we think of it as a new beginning and that a better opportunity isn’t far away. We don’t realize that looking for a new job is often a longer process. Studies show that we’ll likely lose motivation and experience job search depression if our search takes longer than ten to twelve weeks.
Increasing your job search self-efficacy (JSSE) is a great way to improve your opportunities and job search outcomes. Whether we notice it or not, our self-perceptions actively influence our performance. If we believe in our capabilities, we’re more likely to achieve our job search goals and improve our wellness.
When we’re confident in ourselves and our capabilities in the job search- we promote our success. While traditional wisdom might encourage us to focus on our weaknesses, we want to nudge you into taking a more empowering approach.
Scarcity is a common experience for unemployed job seekers who are faced with lack of opportunities and resources, loneliness and social isolation, and little to no feedback. When we’re low on resources, we focus on our immediate and urgent tasks. Scarcity driven “tunnel vision” causes us to neglect tasks we don’t deem priority, but that might be beneficial for us to do in the long term.
Regardless of your situation, job hunting can be a stressful and all-consuming task. These effects can compound when you’re facing all the situational, financial, social and psychological pressures accompanying unemployment that trigger scarcity.
Losing a job and undergoing a job search can be intensely frustrating and anxiety-inducing. It can feel like a road to nowhere when the odds aren’t often in your favour. The competition for the best roles is fierce, and the chance of early success is unlikely. Especially when many of us fall victim to our biases, believing we’ll be back to work quickly.
This ongoing crisis hides in the isolation and anxiety of the 25 million people laid off annually in North America. It isn’t trendy or well-publicized. At times it’s not even recognized by those in the reemployment industry, but it’s there.
