A couple of weeks ago I signed a contract marking the end of my job search phase. With it, the big cloud of uncertainty was gone and I was able to finally breathe again. Job search is brutal, time-consuming and energy-draining. The longer it takes, the less confident you feel and the more you doubt all your career choices. I wanted to share tips that helped me to stay afloat:

1. The free virtual workshop Navigating the Career Change by Calgary Career Hub. The main takeaway for me is that there are scientific evidence and acknowledgement that the job search is depressing and undermines your confidence. If you no longer want to apply for jobs and build your portfolio of projects, it means that you are exhausted and not lazy. No need to feel guilty if you are tired. Keep pushing but be mindful of your state.

2. Reflect on your progress. Look back at what you could do 1-3-6-12 months ago, and keep a diary virtually or on paper of things you learned today. Whenever you feel down, you’ll have proof that you are going forward and building your knowledge and skills.

3. Find a mentor - an experienced person willing to share their tips and tricks, talk about programming and job search strategies, check your code, or provide the employer's perspective on what is expected in interviews. Talking to someone accomplished in IT can reinstate your confidence. I was lucky and my first mentor was my brother, who believed I could code before I actually could do it and whom I could bother with the stupidest questions possible. I met amazing mentors through The Collab Lab and RBC and Battlesnake Developer Fellowship. I learned so much from them during the programs and can still ask questions and know that I will be supported ❤️

4. Find a peer support group - people who were or are in the same situation as you, who can give you advice, study together with you, practice interviews, review your code or simply be there for you. For me, that was a Slack group run by Frank Stepanski. I initially joined it to learn about algorithms and data structures, and it evolved into something bigger.

5. Go to in-person developer meetups and networking events. It’s fun and gives you a chance to interact with other people, establish connections in the industry, and see that there’s life outside of the job search loop.

6. Do something outside of coding and applying for jobs. It can be working out, hiking, crafting or other ways to recharge. For me, volunteering was very therapeutic. Being able to help someone in the evening would beat the aftertaste of being rejected or ghosted in the morning.

I hope your job search journey is stressless and successful!