Published: July 19, 2015 by Jill Klees

It is no secret that conducting a job search can sometimes elicit feelings of stress, anxiety, and nervousness. When these feelings get the best of you, your confidence may suffer and that is the last thing you want to happen when you are trying to make a positive first impression. You need to take action to stress less and keep yourself in tip top job searching shape.

When faced with a job search, think of the 3 C’s to a stress less job search. The 3 C’s focus on balancing your mind, body, and spirit. This balance can help you approach your job search with energy, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude – and who wouldn’t want to hire that person?

Here are tips to integrating the 3 C’s of create, care, and connect into your job search.

1. Create a routine to balance your mind.

Keeping your mind focused and your brain sharp has a huge impact on how you present yourself and make a positive impression when networking and interviewing. Start by maintaining a regular daily routine. Go to bed and wake up at the same time, get dressed, and have a purpose for each day. Develop a job search plan that you update daily and a to-do list to keep you on track.

2. Care for yourself to balance your body.

Participate in regular exercise and eat a well-balanced healthful diet to increase your energy level and keep stress at bay. Find some form of physical exercise that you enjoy whether it be in a structured class setting or just getting outside in nature and enjoying a walk. The bottom line is to get your body moving. Fuel your body with healthy nutritious food and avoid excessive amounts of sugar, caffeine, fatty foods, and alcohol which only make you feel sluggish and cloud your thinking.

3. Connect with others to balance your spirit.

Surround yourself with positive, upbeat, and encouraging people. This is not the time to find other job seekers who are negative and project a doom and gloom attitude. Identify a trusted friend or support system to help you keep your spirits up, exercise with you, and make you smile, and laugh. Participating in activities that bring you joy is an excellent way to boost your spirit.

Acknowledge that conducting a job search is stressful but remember that you have control over how you manage it in order to minimize your level of stress. You are more than your job search so be kind and patient with yourself.

Check the Job Search section on the iSchool Career Development pages for more resources, tips, and strategies to managing your career.