Discouragement happens to all of us, whether job searching or not. But it’s my belief that the discouragement directly related to not being able to find a job is one of the worst discouragements possible. There is a lot at stake when one is unemployed or underemployed and it usually means that bills are going unpaid. Often there is an inability to pay rent (therefore forcing the unemployed to rely on family or friends) and often there is a family dependent on that job to live.

Ever notice how discouragement can pull you down even further? It is tough to “go find a job” when you are sad. In fact, it can be tough to do much of anything. Although some of us are able to pull back up after a few hours or a day of discouragement and still other people somehow are able to turn it around as a challenge to get something done, some people just can’t.

Here are some steps that you can take to stay productive, even with the discouragement monster threatens:

1. Find some understanding friends or family who have “been there” and ask to bend their ear. Vent to a friend, post on Facebook and just be honest. You will often be surprised and encouraged at the responses. Many will understand your plight and although it doesn’t fix the problem (although you never know!), you will feel better for getting it off your chest.

2. Stay busy. There are many, many cheap or free activities available in your community. Take advantage of those. Make new friends. Find a community group and become involved.

3. Help other people. There is great satisfaction in helping other people who are worse off than you. When you concentrate on other people, you have a very hard time concentrating on your own problems. So volunteer at a retirement home, help the homeless or handicapped or be a mentor to children in your community. Often a few hours is all it will take to bump your spirits back up-but we hope that you continue to volunteer even after you are feeling better.

4. Take short breaks. Sometimes a small break from job searching is needed. However, it is far too easy to let that break become a week, then two weeks and so on. Before you take a break from the job search, set a pre-determined time period for that break. Commit to get back to the grind in two or three days and let someone know this who can hold you to it.

5. Look for a temporary or contract job. Consider taking temporary jobs in the meantime, even if the job duties are different than your usual or ones that you feel would be a “step down”. It will help pay the bills and may even open opportunities for full time employment somewhere. And don’t discount contract jobs. It’s easier than you think to temporarily work as a contractor for a good organization.

6. Consider professional help if the discouragement lingers. Never be afraid to seek help if you need assistance. You will feel a lot better with counseling even if it just ends up being a venting session on a regular basis.

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Recently I met with Allison Rapaport, founder of Hospital Dream Jobs to learn more about her and why she started Hospital Dream Jobs. I don’t know about you, but I am always curious about the behind-the-scenes happenings with new businesses. I often find that founders have unique reasons for starting a business or cause, and often it is the result of something in their background, a story of something that happened in their personal life or the discovery of a passion for an industry that was previously undiscovered.

J-What motivated you to start the site?

A- In 2008 I found myself in the middle of the economic crisis which was unfolding. The company I was working for as VP of Communications was changing hands and moving many headquarter employees to New York. I suddenly found myself in a unique position surrounded by a department of analysts and managers who were quickly going to be on the job market, many for the first time in decades. Colleagues were asking for my advice on how to search for jobs, to critique/rewrite their resume and help them figure out how to search for positions on the Internet. Word spread and it was overwhelming how many people asked for advice. This was the first time I had shared the job search tips I had used for myself and was surprised to realize how much knowledge I had acquired over the years about how to market myself.

J- What happened next?

A- When the job ended, I finally had a little breathing room. I considered my own business, but was not sure which direction to go. Then my mother suggested an online job board. The more I thought about it, the more sense it made and the more passionate I became about the idea.

As I thought about a website and researched the competition, I saw that there was an opening for another job board – one that is focused only on healthcare, one that listens to job seekers and hospitals and can evolve quickly (small enough to do that, but large enough to have the capability) and one that helps people find their “dream job” whatever their definition of a dream job is.

J- What do you want to convey on the site?

A- It is important to me to convey that you can create your future – through considering possibility, establishing goals, learning something new, and asking for what you want. I thought our site could be a place that serves as a sort of cheerleader for job seekers. I know that searching for a job can be tough and I want to make it as supportive as possible.

J- Why healthcare?

A- Many happy memories! I am now the third generation involved in the healthcare industry. Both of my grandmothers were nurses and my mother ran a healthcare recruitment company for over 30 years. I grew up surrounded by the healthcare industry. I remember my grandmothers’ white uniform with a white cap, hearing the stories of the patients they helped during the day and seeing an occasional off-color comic strip. I also remember working in my mother’s recruiting firm, Hospital Recruiters, cutting out ads from newspapers all over the country and pasting them in a book. She would use these ads to call applicants and place them in jobs. This was before the ease of the Internet.

J- Sounds like you indeed are following your passion, Allison! Thanks for sharing!

“I think the needs of both the job seekers and employers are in getting lost in the current environment,” says Hospital Dream Jobs founder, Allison Rapaport. “My goal is to listen to their needs and have the website evolve to meet these needs.”

In 2008, Rapaport brought together her experience in web development, communications and job searching with her interest in healthcare to develop Hospital Dream Jobs.  Because she also had contacts in the healthcare and technology field, there was a natural fit with developing content for the site as well.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Hospitals/Employers are excited about the ability to search for qualified leads to fill positions and receive alerts from Hospital Dream Jobs with links to the resume of interested parties. They also enjoy the added coups of being featured via video clips on the site and on the Hospital Dream Jobs blog. The ability to set up a profile page with more about their facility is another popular option.

For job seekers, the site is a virtual goldmine as it not only lists jobs listed with Hospital Dream Jobs but also pulls in listings from other healthcare job sites. In addition, there are numerous job resources, including lists of top hospitals, educational podcasts, links to educational facilities/hospitals and a list of recruitment and staffing agencies. The site has 400 job categories and thousands of listings. The job seeker also enjoys the ability to upload their resume/cover letter, send and receive messages, save job searches, create job alerts and learn more detail about the particular hospitals that interest them.

The goals for Hospital Dream Jobs include:

1. Provide quality and a high quantity of healthcare job listings from all parts of the country.

2. Support job seekers as they progress in their career. Offer job listings, tools to track their job search, career advice and resources, and information to stay current.

3. Offer hospitals and recruiters great advertising for their organization and the ability to attract the best in personnel.

4. Maintain an environment that is personable and responsive for all users.

Join us today by signing up for a Job Seeker or Employer account!