Avoiding burnout is important. Burnout is when you feel exhausted, cynical, or unfulfilled by your job. It’s common among those who don’t have any control over their work or who have conflicting expectations placed upon them. But it’s also possible to burn out when you’re looking for a job especially if you’ve been at it for a while without any luck.

Your job search is your full-time job, but it can be tough to give it the time and energy it needs. That’s because you may have a lot of other things going on in your life, like supporting a family or caring for a loved one. All of these responsibilities can make you feel burned out and stressed.

If you’ve been applying for jobs for a while with no luck, it’s easy to burn out. Here’s how to avoid job search burnout and keep your motivation up.

The longer your job search goes on, the harder it is to maintain your motivation, even though there’s evidence that the longer you’re looking, the more likely you are to find a job.

While you can’t control everything about the job market or the hiring process for each particular position you apply for, there are some things you can do to keep yourself moving forward as you look for a job.

Know that it’s normal

First off, it’s important to recognize that this is a normal part of the job search process. If you’ve been applying for jobs and getting interviews but no callbacks or offers, it’s easy to start feeling like there must be something wrong with you.

This can lead to self-doubt and lack of confidence, which then make the job search more difficult. It’s also possible that you’ve had some interviews but found out that people with more experience than you were hired instead again leading to feelings of not being good enough.

It is important to recognize that finding a job is not about accepting an offer for a perfect position at the ideal company, but instead making the best decision for yourself and your career.

It’s important to take care of yourself throughout the process.

Here are some tips for avoiding job search burnout:

Support Network to Overcome Burnout

Build a support network of friends and family who believe in you and will help keep you motivated.

Take time off to recharge when needed. This can include taking a weekend off from applying or stepping away from social media while you’re on vacation.

Stay active to Avoid Job Search Burnout

Whether you’re searching for a job or not, exercise is an important part of taking care of your body and mind. It relieves stress, improves sleep, and boosts your mood. Plus, having a regular workout routine will help you stay motivated during your search.

Set boundaries

It may be tempting to spend all day every day looking for a job, but that could lead to burnout. Make sure you set aside time for friends, family, and hobbies even if it’s just a little bit each day. These activities will help you stay positive during your search.

Be flexible

The perfect job may not exist at least not right away. Try to keep an open mind about what you’re looking for so that you can consider all opportunities that come your way. This will also help you avoid unnecessary stress.

Don’t let it get to that point.

Take breaks from the search, be it a day, a week, or whatever time you need to recharge and be ready to resume the hunt again.

Sometimes job searches can go on far longer than you might expect, but how long they last have more to do with the time and circumstance than anything else.

Keep updating your online presence, refine your resume and portfolio as needed, try new things like networking with new groups or volunteering and other ways of making yourself into a more attractive candidate. You’ll be hired in the job thats right for you before you ever reach burnout.

I’m Twanna Carter, Ph.D., and I help high achieving professional women who are anxious about transitioning into a new career, have absolute confidence and belief in their own abilities, so they can communicate their unique value, honor their true purpose, and boldly pursue their dream career.

In less than an hour, you can join the thousands of other women who have gone from being stuck in a career they hate to feeling fulfilled by a job that aligns with who they were meant to be.

Schedule your free 30-minute Career Solution Call here.

Recommended Books

1. Melaninated Magic: 180 Affirmations to Nurture Your Soul and Unleash Your Black Girl Joy by Twanna Carter, PhD
2. “I’m Not Yelling: A Black Woman’s Guide to Navigating the Workplace (Successful Black Business Women)“, Elizabeth Leiba.
3. “Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High” by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler.
4. “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert B. Cialdini.
5. “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie.
6. “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead” by Sheryl Sandberg.
7. “Dare to Lead” by Brene Brown.
8. “The Memo“, by Minda Harts.
9. “Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones“, by James Clear
10. “Worthy: How to Believe You Are Enough and Transform Your Life“, by Jamie Kern Lima

 Read my latest blogs…

• 
  17+ Proven Steps for a Smooth Career Change
  Why Changing Careers Is a Smart Move in Today’s World In today’s fast-changing job market, more people than ever are rethinking their career paths. Whether you feel stuck, unfulfilled, or simply ready for a new challenge, learning how  career change… Read more: 17+ Proven Steps for a Smooth Career Change
• 
  Why Career Uncertainty Silently Shrinks Earning Power of Black Women
  Understanding Career Uncertainty in Modern Professional Life Career uncertainty isn’t just confusion about what to do next. It’s an emotional fog that clouds ambition, confidence, and self-worth. It can feel like being ready for more, yet unsure where “more” even… Read more: Why Career Uncertainty Silently Shrinks Earning Power of Black Women
• 
  Why Black Women Fail at Career Pivots. Barriers and Pathways to Success
  The Harsh Reality of Career Pivots for Black Women Right now, more than 300,000 Black women in the U.S. are out of work, a staggering figure that highlights the fragile state of career mobility and stability. While economic downturns and… Read more: Why Black Women Fail at Career Pivots. Barriers and Pathways to Success
• 
  7 Powerful Strategies to Brand & Thrive After a Layoff 
  A Stark Reality. Over 300,000 Black Women Have Been Laid Off More than 300,000 Black women have been laid off since President Trump’s return to office. Driven by sweeping federal job cuts, weakened diversity and inclusion programs, and shifts in… Read more: 7 Powerful Strategies to Brand & Thrive After a Layoff 
• 
  Personal Branding for Black Women Who Are Invisible. A Transformative Guide
  The Power of Personal Branding for Visibility Invisibility is exhausting and Black women know it better than anyone else.Every meeting, every boardroom, every industry hides countless stories of brilliance overlooked. Personal branding isn’t just about shining. It’s about breaking free… Read more: Personal Branding for Black Women Who Are Invisible. A Transformative Guide
• 
  The Worker Bee Trap for Black Women Executives. How Over-performance Keeps Us Invisible in Corporate America
  Worker Bee. The Hidden Trap Behind “Hard Work Pays Off” Growing up, many of us were taught the same lesson: If you work twice as hard, you’ll get ahead.As Black women executives, we carried that mantra into the workplace, believing… Read more: The Worker Bee Trap for Black Women Executives. How Over-performance Keeps Us Invisible in Corporate America
• 
  Why Storytelling is Your Secret Weapon for the C-Suite
  Why Women Executives Need Strategic Storytelling  As women executives, we know how vital it is to shape our narrative and own our stories. But let me be honest, storytelling is one of my weaknesses. Because I have social anxiety, I… Read more: Why Storytelling is Your Secret Weapon for the C-Suite
• 
  3 Branding Mistakes That Sabotage Successful Black Women Leaders
  Why Personal Branding Matters More Than Ever Visibility Equals Value As a Black woman in leadership, your excellence is undeniable. But it isn’t always seen. Visibility, personal branding, isn’t just about being noticed. It’s about being recognized and respected for… Read more: 3 Branding Mistakes That Sabotage Successful Black Women Leaders
• 
  Executive Coaching for Black Women. Empowering Unstoppable Success
    Why Executive Coaching Matters for Black Women In today’s fast-paced corporate world, executive coaching for Black women is more than a leadership development tool. It’s a catalyst for transformation. Despite being the most educated groups in the U.S., Black… Read more: Executive Coaching for Black Women. Empowering Unstoppable Success
• 
  Build a Powerful Network They Say. But No One Tells You How!  
  To build a powerful network is one of the most influential tools for professional and personal success, yet most people approach it incorrectly. You’ve probably heard people say, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” But here’s the… Read more: Build a Powerful Network They Say. But No One Tells You How!  
• 
  12 Tips to Successfully Changing Careers
  Changing careers is no longer the rare, risky leap it once was. It’s becoming a normal part of professional life. Whether you’re searching for more purpose, better pay, or a healthier work-life balance, knowing how to change careers successfully can… Read more: 12 Tips to Successfully Changing Careers
• 
  Powerful Network Secrets: Build Influence Fast
   Secrets Revealed How to Build a Powerful Network  A powerful network is one of the most useful tools for professional and personal success, yet most people approach building it incorrectly. You’ve probably heard people say, “It’s not what you know,… Read more: Powerful Network Secrets: Build Influence Fast