The Morale Dilemma: What To Do When You Lose Your Desire to Job Search – Program Recap

Published 8/5/2026

Job hunting can be a very tedious process that often yields few tangible results, affecting our morale and desire to continue the search.

Thank you to Paul Cecala for exploring ways to help in our job search activities that can help keep us motivated in the spite of repeated setbacks. Understanding current trends in the job market can help us narrow our search and find more in-demand jobs. Developing a work search plan and sticking to it can help us stay on track, find the right people to talk to, and feel like we are making progress. Even following some of these strategies can feel daunting and overwhelming, so let’s explore ways to stay motivated and ultimately find the job are are looking for.

The Current Job Market

On average, it takes about 100 applications for an individual to get 2 interviews with no guarantee of landing a job. In fact, what used to take 4-6 months to find a new job is now 8-12 months so traditional job searching behaviors will not cut it. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, roughly 75% of jobs are found through personal contacts – 40% by speaking directly to company representatives and 35% through networking; about 15% are found through placement agencies, 9% through job sites and only 1% through job fairs. Traditional methods of applying for jobs through job boards (Indeed, CareerBuilder, Monster, etc.) an classified ads are very inefficient and will extend your job searching for many months.

Networking, Networking, Networking

To really succeed, we need to be willing to talk to people. We need to develop a network of people who we can cultivate relationships that can help us find the right job. This includes identifying the individuals responsible for hiring at different organizations we are interested in, asking friends, families, colleagues, and other people if they know of places hiring in your field or for positions that match your skill set, and connecting with others in your field through professional organizations. The larger your network, the more opportunities you can find and the more likely you are to get your information in front of a person rather than relaying on online applications and applicant tracking systems to pick you out of a crowded pool.

Tips for Success and Morale Boosts

Time for Change

A common complaint from people who are stuck job hunting is that “nothing I do is working”. If nothing is working, then its up to you to change what you are doing. This can be difficult and requires work, but it is critical to model your job seeking behaviors on what does work. This includes connecting and talking with people, changing how you approach conversations, and being more outgoing. Engage in conversations that focus on the needs of employer and then how you might be able to fill those needs.

The roles within certain jobs are also constantly changing, especially with the rise of AI. This may require you to change your skills through learning new technologies, obtaining new certifications, or getting a new degree. Keep aware of what is evolving in your field of choice and be sure to find ways to meet those needs, including communicating how you can meet those needs in both your resume and conversations. This is especially important if you are an older job seeker and are trying to fight against ageism. Employers are moving away from deeming experience as how long someone has been in a position to the specific accomplishments you can highlight.

Stay Organized

Organization is a key component of many things in life and job seeking is no exception. Start by creating a system to track your job search activities, from what jobs you applied for, what contacts you have spoken to on a weekly basis, and what individuals or organizations you need too reach out to, either initially or as a follow-up. This can also boost your morale by being able to measure your success (number of interviews, promising leads, etc.) and allow you to set realistic goals and benchmarks to make you feel like you’ve accomplished things.

Planning is also an important of staying organized and can help make you feel in control of your job search. If you are unemployed, try to maintain a normal workday life pattern – eat your meals on time, follow typical routines like showering and exercising. Create networking plans for your search (reaching out to about 10 people a week), create weekly or daily plans for your job searching and personal life, and post those plans for you and family to see. If you need help filling your day to stay motivated, volunteer in ways that can help boost your skills or find part-time jobs that can help limit gaps in your employment.

Increase Self Confidence

A great way to maintain your resolve is to boost your self confidence and take care of your whole self. Create a list of accomplishments that you can use in your job applications, networking conversations, or just to prove your self-worth. Volunteering or helping others is a great way to feel important, accomplished, and develop new or apply useful skills. Focus on using positive words in your own thoughts or in conversations with others, especially casually conversations with friends and family; remove works like “can’t”, “don’t” and “try” and replace them with words like “will” and “can”.

Focus on self-care as well. Be sure to take breaks from your job searching, whether that be a few minutes an hour, a day off each week, or plan a vacation or staycation; you can very easily burn yourself out when finding a job is your full-time job. Break up your daily activities to include spending time with others (volunteering, socializing), learning new skills (certifications, schooling), or participating in activities your enjoy (reading, running, sports, etc.). Take care of your body by eating right, exercising, and practicing good hygiene. Support your mental health by practicing meditation, mindfulness, or engaging in a faith-based activity. Finding a job is important, but ensuring your mind and body are healthy is more important.

Seeking Help

Trying to tackle something this large alone can quickly lead you down a road of repeated setbacks, resulting in depression, feelings of despair, or a total lack of motivation. You can try helping yourself by making a list of accomplishments to find transferable skills, knowledge sets, and competencies that might be useful in new or related careers from what you’ve been focusing on. You can also start describing your dream job and creating 5, 10, and 15 year vision plans for your life to help keep your mind focused on the end goal. You can also try taking personality or career tests to help identify areas where you might be able to shine.

You should also seek outside help as well; there is no shame in asking for help. One of the easiest ways to help in your job search is to hire a career coach who can help you develop a plan, keep you accountable, work on skills (communication, interviewing, writing, etc.), and build your network. While the upfront cost might be a deterrent, if you can find a job 3 or 6 months sooner, the amount of money spent pales in comparison to what you can make in that time. Join a job search networking job to learn from others, support others, and expand your networking circle; they might be struggling in finding something for their career but might know of a great opportunity for you! Find a work search buddy or create a small strategic work team that can help you meet new people, hold you accountable, and give you advice. Also attend work or career-related meetings through professional/industry associations or utilize alumni organizations.

The Reality Check and the Morale Dilemma

We need money to survive and the most important step for you might be just finding a job, any job so that you have money to pay the bills and live your life. While it might not be your dream job or even in the career you are interested in, just having a job is an opportunity. You can use that job to help meet others that can get you closer to the type of job you are interested in or help you develop or refine skills you are lacking. This is also a great way to boost your confidence by feeling useful and productive. A great way to bring in money is to also turn a hobby into a money maker. There are plenty of ways to create your own virtual store to sell crafts or other products from your hobby.

You can only control what you can and you can only change you. Stop trying to change what you can’t and that will help keep your morale up. Always be connecting and always be positive; finding a job is about who you know so you will have to start talking with others, opening yourself up, and becoming social which takes time and practice. If you are unemployed, spend time with friends who are employed; while you may feel less self-worth, stop comparing your life to them and see if there are ways that they can help you by connecting you with potential leads. You can also ask a friend to be your “negativity cop” if you are struggling with self-worth; keeping a positive attitude and mindset is fundamental to keeping up your morale, especially in difficult times. Lastly, don’t let unemployment define you; find your worth and celebrate it, particularly if you can volunteer or help others!

More Information

If you want more information about anything related to job searching, career readiness, or other career-related topics, please visit https://cecalacareer.com/ or contact Paul at pcecala@cecalacareer.com. You can also find tons of resources through the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development at https://www.nj.gov/labor/career-services/. You can view a recording of this program on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/7B8C0YvuOiw.

NJSL Presents

NJSL is committed to providing our patrons with information services, including NJSL Presents, our series of free, virtual programs, presentations, and trainings on topics of interest to State government, Thomas Edison State University (TESU), and the public.

NJSL Presents Events Calendar 

Sign up to attend our live, online presentations on topics including genealogy, NJ history, personal finance, and career development.

NJSL Presents Newsletter

Sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay in the loop about upcoming programs, exciting events, library news, and highlights from our special collections!