No bell rings to tell you that job search depression has begun, the descent is gradual. However, recognizing these signs in yourself or someone else is the beginning of the path back up again.

Job Search Depression Signs

13 signs and indicators

  1. Sadness, depressed mood, crying over seemingly minor setbacks like canceled or delayed interviews
  2. Increased irritability, crankiness, difficulty being satisfied even when new leads appear often
  3. More easily frustrated, gives up quickly after initial failures for example by not following up
  4. Poor self-concept, low self-esteem, reluctance toward attempting endeavors like going to networking groups or job fairs
  5. Loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities
  6. Changes in appetite (decreased appetite most common) often signaled by rapid weight gain or loss.
  7. Changes in sleep patterns (not enough or too much sleep)
  8. Slowed, inhibited actions (slow, soft speech; slowed body movements).
  9. Fatigue, loss of pep and energy
  10. Poor concentration, attention and/or memory.
  11. Thoughts or words about death or suicide.

When it comes to job seekers, there are 2 more signs to add to the list:

12. Loss of motivation, all job search activities seem pointless.

13. You start to wonder if you’ll ever find another job or at least one that’s good enough.

Read this before making the wrong assumption

The first 11 items were adapted from a University of Florida article which also says that “most people will experience some of these symptoms from time to time, but in order for it to be considered major depression; you should be experiencing at least 5 of these symptoms, continuously, for at least 2 weeks.”

Unsure about the signs? Take the test

Seeing the signs in someone else is often easier than seeing them in yourself. If you’d like some independent confirmation, try taking the NYU Department of Psychiatry’s general purpose Depression Screening Test. According to the website, the test “is designed to give a preliminary idea about the presence of mild to moderate depressive symptoms that indicate the need for an evaluation by a psychiatrist.”

Therapy is only one solution for someone with job search depression. The next article in the series will touch upon that and others.

JobMob’s Job Search Depression Series

This article is the second in a 4-part series on job search depression.

  1. Causes of Job Search Depression and How To Prevent It
  2. Signs of Job Search Depression
  3. 9 Ways To Deal With Job Search Depression
  4. ERAN Gives You Emotional First Aid in Israel

Looking for work is hard work. Subscribe to JobMob via RSS or email and follow me on Twitter to get help lightening your job search burden.

--Jacob Share

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  Tags: depression, job search depression, personality-test     Category Filed under: Must-Read Tips