A Plea to Job Seekers: Please Be Kind To Yourself!

Are you searching for a job and feeling discouraged or defeated? I urge you to be gentle and kind to yourself though this especially difficult time.

In any job market, looking for a new role can be stressful. In our current environment where unemployment is at an all-time high, networking at a standstill, and the hiring process forced into a virtual state, serious shifts are required for anyone seeking a new position.

Now, more than ever, we as human beings need kindness. I founded The Hollister Group more than 30 years ago to help people find jobs and, more importantly, to transform lives and organizations. During these 30 years, Hollister survived three recessions and now we are battling through a global pandemic. Through all of this, I have learned about reinvention and resiliency. That started, however, with daring to be kind to myself – giving myself permission to reinvent, rather than beating myself up for my first plan not working. Kindness begets kindness – so if we generate from a place of sincerity to ourselves, we have a better chance of receiving kindness in return.

In the midst of refining your resume, updating your LinkedIn profile, and combing through the active job listings, please take a moment to support yourself. Go for a run, cook a meal, schedule a Zoom call with friends. Do what you need to do to be kind and gentle with yourself.

For me, I find peace and energy through meditation. My gift to my team and to the community over these difficult few months has been to create a space for weekly virtual meditations, free of charge. I welcome you to commit to self-care along your job search journey and to join us Thursdays at 10AM – you can find the link to join here. We also have our ever-growing library of recorded meditations if you prefer to meditate independently or build a daily practice.

Self-care and compassion for oneself will help you bring your whole self to your job search, boosting your confidence and building your own true brand.

Let kindness lead you each step of the way, starting with kindness to yourself.

-  Kip Hollister