Dolla Dolla Bills Y'all

Welcome (back) to my blog dear reader! I am so glad you are here. 😄 I hope you enjoy your time here.

I am sorry about not posting last week. Life decided to throw me enough curve balls to strike me out and put me on injury leave. (Can you tell I am glad that baseball is back?)

Anyway, this week I am doing better and am back on track. This week’s post is partially inspired by the chaos tornado of drama that happened last week. How do you (or I) go about looking for a job when you suffer from a mental illness like anxiety? It’s not perfect by any means, but I think I have some ideas.

For those of you who have read my “About Me” page, I am a recent college graduate. As of last month I have been out of college for year. This means that I still need to find my first real big girl job. Last year I was doing what I could to get by. I did find a job that is enjoyable and pays more than minimum wage. But with my loans from college and the cost of living it is not the best option. To support myself now, I need a job with benefits and a better paycheck. I know what I want to do. I know I picked the right major and that teaching is the career path for me. But now what? There are plenty of questions that need to be answered before I can be gainfully employed. Maybe some of this sounds familiar to you dear reader.

I have mentioned before that I have had anxiety for half of my life, specifically social anxiety, so job hunting is difficult at times. Looking for a job is challenging even when you do not have anxiety. There have definitely been days in my recent history where I would be sitting at my laptop just being overwhelmed. Thankfully I went to a good school and I learned how to make a good resume and cover letter. I also was able to form good professional relationships with my professors and mentors for a strong reference list. What am I so worried about?

Well there are a few things actually. For me being a teacher is as natural as breathing. It has been a part of me since I was a child of 5. It has become a part of my identity. If I were to choose a few words to describe myself, teacher would be one of them. Because teaching is such a big part of who I am, whenever the doubt and anxiety about myself creeps in, I begin to doubt my abilities and capability of being an educator. On top of all that, I dread the day I fail as a teacher. Because when I fail, then I’ve failed my students, the youth whom I care for so much. So what am I gonna do!?

I have found a few things to be helpful in at least lessening my anxiety during this job hunt. Job sites like Glassdoor and Indeed are a great resource for looking up what is available. You can also make a profile based on what you are looking for and they email you when new jobs are posted to the site. It reduces the anxiety of having to spend a long time looking for a job listing.

Huzzah! There's an opening I am interested in and I have submitted my application. For some jobs you have to send in a resume with the application. Having a master resume that you can use for each application helps you tailor your strengths. Because you are awesome dear reader and have many skills but not every skill works for every job. So list all of them and include the relevant ones on each application. You can do the same thing with a master cover letter. Having a rough draft that you can add to for each job application will save you a ton of time. Also, ask your references. It will not be good if you pick someone to be a reference but do not ask them first. This way you do not take them by surprise when your would-be boss calls them for an opinion of you.

Most importantly: research the places to which you are applying. This is not just for teachers. It prepares you for the interview if you understand the school or company. When you have scheduled an interview, take some time a couple of days in advance to time the drive and figure out where to park and what entrances to use. Plan your outfit and have a few copies of your resume, cover letter and reference page printed out.

The day of the interview has arrived and the nerves are at an all time high. Remember to believe in yourself. Fake it until you make it if necessary. Faking confidence is way more effective in landing a job than being negative about yourself. You are the best for the job. Knowing that you are qualified and made for the position is a big confidence booster too. It is also important to remember, mistakes are learning experiences. Any mistakes you make in the interview are lessons you can take with you to the next one. Finding a job and working, like everything else has its ups and downs. All we can do is our best, by being prepared and finding the beauty in the crazy. Have a great week!☀️💙