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As a result of the past few months, many will have lost their jobs or facing job uncertainty. Having worked in the mental health and employment industries for many years now, I would like to offer some thoughts to consider.
Should you treat your job search like a job? I must be honest, having worked in the employment industry for over 20 years, I cringe when I hear people say this. I understand they are trying to be helpful, but it always sounds patronising. There are aspects of job search that take a lot of hours, there are other parts where there is a lot of initial work and then it is a case of ticking over. Email address Your email address should only reflect your name, not the team you support or your life view. Do not add your date of birth for security. Create another email for job search only if necessary. It does not take that long. Social Media LinkedIn is useful to register and promote yourself if you are a professional. There are also lots of jobs on there. However, an employer will search for you on social media websites to see what type of person you are like in real life, so be careful of what you upload; don’t slag off your former employer. CV Takes a lot of initial effort and is what one might call a living document; it should be tailored to every job one applies for. If an employer is not hooked within five seconds of reading, it will be discarded:
Large institutions use application forms because they have to demonstrate to shareholders or tax payers they adhere to certain corporate values. Application forms take a lot of time and effort; eg, an application form for a junior manager in the civil service should take 10 – 20 hours plus, over four to five days:
www.youtube.com A wonderful resource for job interview techniques etc. It is very "American" at times but you will learn to sell yourself properly, which can be difficult for us Scots. www.myworldofwork.co.uk A fabulous resource for job interview techniques, creating your first ever CV etc. May feel a bit patronising because it is designed for 15 year olds, but I recommend it very much. www.TED.com Not for everyone, but like YouTube offers speeches in confidence and lifestyle. www.indeed.com The biggest recruitment website www.s1jobs.com Hugely popular in Scotland www.myjobscotland.gov.uk Public sector jobs in Scotland www.goodmoves.com Third sector (charity & social enterprise) jobs in Scotland Third sector jobs in Scotland
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As a result of the past few months, many will have lost their jobs or be facing job uncertainty. Having worked in the mental health and employment industries for many years now, I would like to offer some thoughts to consider.
Why me? There are many things in life which we can control; this is not one of them. There is nothing you can do about this. Yet many will feel a sense of responsibility, and anxiety. This is natural, but if allowed to fester can cause long-term issues. There is always a part of us that feels anxious and scared, like a child. This may come to the fore in these circumstances. Be kind to yourself. Regularly talk with yourself, a trusted family member or friend. A client once told me she writes down negative statements about herself. I suggested that for every negative statement, she then writes a positive statement underneath. It can be about your skills, your achievements, or if you enjoyed a chat with a friend. It does not have to be written at the same moment. This helps balance the inevitable negative feelings you may be experiencing. Keeping to a routine. Keeping to a routine will help keep track of the day and your goals, and reflects the working day of your industry. Get up at your normal time for work, lunch at the same time etc. Try not to drink on a “school night”. Keep to a normal routine. If you have lapses, then that is okay. Start the next day with your original intention. You may find it difficult to sleep. Mindfulness techniques can help. Go to bed fifteen minutes earlier than usual and listen to a mindfulness app. Do this at least four times per week. You can download free mindfulness apps on Google Play or Apple App Store. Goals & confidence Make your goals achievable and believe in your abilities. Do not set yourself up to fail. Confidence will be understandably low or at least brittle. Prepare for success but understand there may be rejection. Recruitment relies on more people losing out on an opportunity than being successful. This is not your fault. If you feel your anxieties or bouts of low mood are too strong and for too long, contact your GP for support. It is not failure; it is taking care of yourself. Many therapists will offer compelling reasons to invest in their type of therapy. Choose the therapy and therapist you feel speaks to you. Useful Websites NHS Scotland https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/mental-health-services/how-to-access-mental-health-services/ Brothers in Arms https://www.brothersinarmsscotland.co.uk/ LGBT Helpline Scotland https://www.lgbthealth.org.uk/services-support/lgbt-mental-health/lgbt-helpline-scotland/ Maternal Mental Health Scotland https://maternalmentalhealthscotland.org.uk/ Breathing Space https://breathingspace.scot/ As we move towards the latter phases of social rules for quarantine, most of us are considering how we are going to get back to work and our children back to school. Here are some thoughts for supporting your children.
Children up to and around the age of 12 It is reassuring to believe that children are resilient and get over things quickly. However, children are more complicated than this. They are intimately aware of what is going on around them, especially the reactions and feelings of their loved ones. They internalise and process this information before developing their own responses. These responses are the building blocks of a developing personality. Some therapists call this Attachment theory. It may be helpful to regularly discuss what is going on without using alarming language. Be honest but reassuring; acknowledge the feelings they may have and do not dismiss them. Find out from the school, nursery and childcare the proposed process of how it plans to open and discuss this with your children so they can visualise what will happen. Include their travel arrangements. Humans need to feel safe and supported. Nothing gives greater reassurance than hugging your children. Teenage children Psychologists suggest that teenagers continue their psychological and emotional development but are not yet fully developed. They have the capacity to understand but perhaps not yet the life experience to support their considerations. Their behaviours can seem extreme or disengaged because their brains are developing at an accelerated pace. There are excellent websites to support teenagers understand anxiety, stress and depression and offer appropriate and safe support. Humans are family based social creatures. To be physically near is to feel safe. Check in with your teenage children regularly even if they do not want to talk. Ask how they are feeling. Be honest about how you feel while remembering they are still children and emotionally vulnerable. They may not show it; however, their developing personalities will be exposed to a positive and secure environment. Offer and be willing to listen at any time in a non-judgemental way. Non-judgement does not mean non-boundaried. And of course, nothing gives greater reassurance than hugging your children. Teenagers can make this difficult, but at an important emotional level they will internalise and appreciate this display of love and safety. Many therapists will offer compelling reasons to invest in their type of therapy. Choose the therapy and therapist you feel speaks to you. As we move towards the latter phases of quarantine, many of us are considering how we are going to feel safe outside. Here are some thoughts you may find helpful.
A Secure Base For most, our home represents a place of safety, where we feel most comfortable. Unfortunately, this is not the case for all of us. However, even for those who feel unsafe, it takes an enormous amount of emotional and psychological energy to make a change especially if it feels dangerous. Some therapists call this our Secure Base; for better or worse it is the place we know and understand. The past few months have been emotionally traumatic. As a result, we may hold onto our secure base a little too tightly. Most of us are creatures of habit. Once we have internalised beliefs and behaviours it becomes very difficult to change, even if we understand it may be for the better. Life outside your home Here are some thoughts for preparation:
There are excellent websites that can help. For long-term support, consider appropriate therapy. If you feel your anxieties or bouts of low mood are too strong and for too long, contact your GP for support. It is not failure; it is taking care of yourself. Many therapists will offer compelling reasons to invest in their type of therapy. Choose the therapy and therapist you feel speaks to you. Useful Websites NHS Scotland https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/mental-health The Counselling Directory www.counselling-directory.org.uk LGBT Helpline Scotland https://www.lgbthealth.org.uk/services-support/lgbt-mental-health/lgbt-helpline-scotland/ Give Us a Shout www.giveusashout.org Maternal Mental Health https://maternalmentalhealthscotland.org.uk/ LGBT Helpline Scotland https://www.lgbthealth.org.uk/services-support/lgbt-mental-health/lgbt-helpline-scotland/ |
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