Emotional Rollercoaster - Copeland Coaching

Emotional Rollercoaster Job searching is tough. But, what is really tough is job searching when youre unemployed. Through my work with job seekers, Ive noticed a trend. Those who are unemployed are much more distressed by the process of job searching then those who arent. When thinking through this issue, I looked up the term emotional rollercoaster. I was surprised to find multiple websites that claim the term was coined by Dr. N. Amundson in relation to dealing with unemployment. He published an article called, The dynamics of unemployment: Job loss and job search. Id never heard of this article, but I was able to verify on Google Scholar that it does exist. In the description, it says, We have developed an integrated model comparing job loss to the grieving process (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance) and job search to burnout (enthusiasm, stagnation, frustration, apathy). If you have a family member who is unemployed, you have probably wondered what is going on. Why don’t they just get over it? Be positive and have a better attitude, right? Well, sadly, its not that simple. When you experience other types of loss, like a death in the family, it can feel absolutely awful. At the time, theres really nothing worse. But, if other areas in your life stay stable, eventually, you start to feel somewhat normal again after a certain period of grief. But, unfortunately, with unemployment, these feelings of grief dont resolve. The unemployed person must alter every piece of their life in order to cope with a sudden loss of income. They may stop going to the doctor. They may buy cheaper food. They may become isolated from friends because they dont feel comfortable with the cost of going to a restaurant for dinner. With unemployment, until its over, the person continues to be in the middle of an emergency. The end point is unknown, and the worries multiply by the day. To make matters worse, loved ones often assume the unemployed person is doing something wrong. After all, if they were doing everything right, they would have a job by now. But, thats not the reality of the situation. Normally, when we look for a job, we have a job. We look passively. It can take a few years to find something thats the right fit. But, nobody notices because we still have a job. And, when you have a job, you job search in secret. When youre unemployed, everyone knows youre looking. If you have an unemployed friend, cut them a little slack. Realize that its not just something they should have a better attitude about. Just because they havent landed a job doesn’t mean they arent good at what they do. It doesnt mean they should switch careers. And, it doesn’t mean they need unsolicited advice. What it means is that they need your friendship and support to get them through this emotional rollercoaster. I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here. Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If youve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in iTunes or Stitcher. Happy hunting! Angela Copeland @CopelandCoach