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Post by NeedAJerb on Oct 4, 2016 10:11:02 GMT -5
Perhaps the first thing you would tell me is to stop checking this forum but in all seriousness, how do you deal with the uncertainty of the job market?
When you know that you are not a superstar, how do you deal with the silence? No phone call, no email, no news from SCs. Do you just accept it as is and move on?
Yoga? Get a therapist? Gym? Submit more papers for journal review? Drink? Vent to your significant other? Knit? Join a book club? Paint? Cook?
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Post by I work on Oct 4, 2016 12:01:54 GMT -5
I try to keep busy, mostly with work. Work on dissertation, articles, and even prep a job talk so if I get one I'm ready. It's not easy though, and I still obsessively check job banks for more jobs.
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Post by NeedAJerb on Oct 5, 2016 11:39:16 GMT -5
I try to keep busy, mostly with work. Work on dissertation, articles, and even prep a job talk so if I get one I'm ready. It's not easy though, and I still obsessively check job banks for more jobs. I hear you. I've also prepared a job talk just in case and have been working on various research projects to keep myself busy. I guess what I was trying to get at is; how do you deal with the uncertainty of the job market emotionally? I try to set aside some time to watch mundane tv shows and go to gym occasionally so that I don't kill myself thinking about the possibility of being ignored this year. There are many nights that I can't sleep because I keep thinking about the job market!!! |
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Post by maybehelpful on Oct 5, 2016 16:00:33 GMT -5
I try to deal with the emotional distress by considering how transferable my skills are. I desperately want to stay in academia (I'm the crazy person who loves teaching and would be happy to be at a 4/4 with potential for tenure). But I also recognize this might not work out for me so I have my Plan A, B, C, and D. This helps me manage the emotional stress because I can approach it from the perspective of "I will be okay - regardless of whether or not I can achieve Plan A". I still check the job sites a bit more frequently than I would like but I don't quite feel so absolutely terrified and anxious about the entire process.
Also - I've found that daily meditation (10 minutes) and consistent exercise (just 30 minutes) really help my body stay balanced and not be so sensitive to my increased stress levels (and trying to keep a decently healthy diet - though I am not succeeding - total stress eater).
Hang in there!
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Post by NeedAJerb on Oct 6, 2016 8:54:27 GMT -5
I try to deal with the emotional distress by considering how transferable my skills are. I desperately want to stay in academia (I'm the crazy person who loves teaching and would be happy to be at a 4/4 with potential for tenure). But I also recognize this might not work out for me so I have my Plan A, B, C, and D. This helps me manage the emotional stress because I can approach it from the perspective of "I will be okay - regardless of whether or not I can achieve Plan A". I still check the job sites a bit more frequently than I would like but I don't quite feel so absolutely terrified and anxious about the entire process. Also - I've found that daily meditation (10 minutes) and consistent exercise (just 30 minutes) really help my body stay balanced and not be so sensitive to my increased stress levels (and trying to keep a decently healthy diet - though I am not succeeding - total stress eater). Hang in there! Yes, I agree with you; having backup plans are important! I myself have two fallback plans and I'm quite certain that I should be able to make a decent living doing other things. However, we somehow feel that making more money and having healthy 8-5 jobs is less than ideal. It sounds irrational to those outside of the academia, but perhaps because we spentso many of our prime years in graduate school. At this point, not getting a job in academia feels antithetical even though there are plenty of people who receive their undergraduate degrees in unrelated fields and still get decent jobs. It's time for me to hit the gym; working out is the only thing that's keeping my body healthy right now. |
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Post by anon prof on Oct 13, 2016 16:30:09 GMT -5
You think it's bad now, try 5 years on the tenure track.
I felt a pit in my stomach for 2 years until I got a job and then I had a brief 4 or 5 month respite before starting the job and it all came back. Got better after the first year until my 5th year when I was trying to finish everything for tenure. Now I'm past tenure and still stressed cause I have a ton of service all the time and am still trying to get a lot of research done. It never ends.
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Post by Boozy McBoozerson on Oct 14, 2016 21:57:22 GMT -5
Are you familiar with alcohol?
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Post by Alcohol? on Oct 26, 2017 5:13:29 GMT -5
Weed works much better.
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Post by Weed Indeed. on Nov 8, 2017 23:31:42 GMT -5
Edibles with a 5:1 ratio of CBD to THC works friggin' wonders for anxiety, especially if you keep the THC at around 2mg. Nice, calm feeling; optimistic and cheery; better focus and a great night's sleep. Can't recommend it enough.
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prius
New Member
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Post by prius on Feb 26, 2018 0:24:04 GMT -5
I try to keep busy. I will try my best to utilize my time by doing things that will better my chances in the job market, but I make sure not to let that consume me. I've been down that road and it's a dangerous one. I've found a lot of relaxation in journaling. Sometimes I'll write about my feelings, sometimes just something creative, and other times I just put a bunch of paint on a page. It's a great outlet.
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ziggy
New Member
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Post by ziggy on Feb 26, 2018 5:44:48 GMT -5
I try to handle my stress by separating myself from my technology. Then I'm not staring at the phone wondering why it's not ringing, why I'm not hearing a notification from a new email, etc. If I'm around it, I'm thinking about it. So out of sight, out of mind works best for me.
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Post by ideas on Mar 8, 2018 9:38:35 GMT -5
The job market is really tough. People warn you about it, but until you experience it yourself, you can't fully understand the beast.
My advice:
First off, you must realize that unless you are a market star, you will be lucky to hear back from 10% of the jobs you applied for. This was my experience with a pretty strong CV: About 6-8 pubs and 1 first author in a ASR level journal.
Second, never check the sociology job market websites. It does you no good and just exaggerates anxiety.
Third, practice mindfulness (meditation) each day. They have free apps for this. Research shows that regular practice can rewire neurons and help reduce anxiety.
Fourth, exercise reguarly.
Fifth, seek psychological counseling from your university. They will have counselors that help people going through similar problems all the time.
Finally, remember you are not alone. A lot of people experience anxiety on the market.
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Post by Advice on Mar 9, 2018 8:50:24 GMT -5
Try your best not to let the market feel like it's about you as a person. It can feel incredibly personal, especially if you get to the stage of a campus visit and then you are rejected. But, it's largely not about you as a person at all. Try your best to remember that.
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Post by Sampson on Apr 13, 2018 20:38:24 GMT -5
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