Many students who are beginning the job search process for their first job after graduation find themselves in a stressful situation. There was a study by Eunjoo Yang and Normal C. Gysbers in 2007, focusing on career transitions of college seniors. They found that confidence in the career search and psychological distress are closely related to how students handle career search tasks. Individuals with greater psychological resources were less stressed, made sufficient progress in their career transitions and were more aware of their work identity.

Some anxiety can be helpful in stressful situations like these because it can serve as motivation to deal with the career transition and can ready themselves for the process. However, it is an unpleasant feeling.

College alumni agreed about the importance of maintaining mental health during the job search process and while doing the work for the job itself. Sarah Mathews, an American University 2008 graduate and current lawyer in a D.C. firm, says that some people get depressed when applying to jobs. The longer people are out of work, the more depressed they can get. For this reason, it is important to keep yourself healthy, such as increasing endorphins by exercising. It is also important for people not to compare themselves to other people with jobs, because they don’t know how they got the job. Everyone does the job process differently.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined self-care as “activities individuals, families and communities undertake with the intention of enhancing health, preventing disease, limiting illness and restoring health.” This was said in the study by Mike Lucock in 2011. People are involved with self-help by themselves or with a professional. Individuals should find the methods of self-care that work for them.

Brandon Lee, a TCNJ graduate from 2009 believes that students and workers have to take care of themselves and know their limits, whether they have a mental disorder or not. They should continue doing what keeps them happy and helps maintain their mental health. Having a good morning routine will set the stage for having a productive day. He also makes clear the importance of seeking professional help or just having a supportive mentor, such as a close family member.

Maintaining your mental health is important during your job. Lee remembers when he was overwhelmed with impressing his boss for his first job. He admits that he was hard on himself and advises students that they shouldn’t be so stressed over doing perfect work in a job. He says, “You got hired. It’s half the battle.”

Kristen Carrotto, who was a nursing major from Felician College and graduated in 2006, also believes in the importance of self-care. She believes that if you don’t have a healthy work life balance, you’ll be more prone to burnout and fatigue, which she especially sees in student nurses. Having quiet time and space for yourself is crucial. As an undergraduate, she was placed in the senior year residency program within St. Barnabas Hospital in Livingston, NJ. She got her first job through this program, and it gave her more experience on the floor as a nurse, something that she wishes most nurses were introduced to before they get their first job.

She notices that when it comes to stress in the nursing postion, a lot of it stems from the the fact that colleges focus more on the foundation of nursing, but not practicing what the students have to do in their job.

Debra Kelly, Career Services Director at TCNJ, says that the best way to reduce upperclassmen student stress is to start improving their job search skills early, such as using Career Services tools like The Big Interview, a program that records students’ mock interviews and plays them back for the students’ viewing. TCNJ Career Center

She considers maintaining mental health during the job search process to be critical, especially because of the amount of rejections students could possibly get from jobs. This is a reason why she recommends maintaining mental health through wellness activities like yoga.

Kelly mentioned the Care Team, which is a part of Student Affairs. If there is a stressful event in a student’s life, such as a family emergency while they are job searching, someone could recommend them to the Care Team. Through this program, the Career Center will be aware of this student’s personal issue and not sign them up for interviews during this time They can also be supportive of them. Click here to submit a care report.

It is good to know that the Career Center helps students who are going through stressful situations and gives them the tools for a successful job search, such as online interview services and programs such as Dining Out In Professional Style.

The job search is a scary yet exciting process, and college alumni agree. Thankfully, many students from TCNJ, according to Debra Kelly, receive a job in their field after graduation. Although it can be a stressful process, it is crucial to maintain mental health, as is with any situation.