Every day, week, and month you hunt for a job, the costs add up, impacting both your bank account and your self-esteem. Even if you know what you should be doing to secure employment, you find it harder to put in the time and effort.

The circle of people around you can make things worse. You see your kids worrying or complaining because finances are tight. Your spouse is losing patience, and I would like to ask what you are doing to fix the situation. Your friends have grown weary of your story.

These pressures impact your mental clarity and strategic focus. A cascade of behavioral and psychological missteps can follow:

• You develop theories about the labor market and your employment prospects based on your lack of success. In the early days of your search, you customized every application, explored networking options, and followed up whenever possible. Now that several months have gone by, you are discouraged. You tell yourself it did not work and stop putting in the extra effort.

• You start slipping into a scatter campaign, applying for jobs that do not interest you or that are below your capabilities. As the bills pile up, you sacrifice focus with fear.

• Eventually, you lose an understanding of who you are and what types of employment would be fulfilling. All you can see are the downsides of the path that would be best for you.

• You are unwilling to get the extra training you need or join the appropriate professional association. Any investment that seems too expensive or time-consuming can leave you feeling stuck.

• When you do get an interview, you appear desperate. You are no longer capable of selling yourself convincingly.

I share this gloomy narrative to wake you up. There is no way around the realities of navigating a career transition. You must know yourself well, understand how you fit into the labor market, and invest in training that will position you to succeed. You must dig deep to find the courage to organize your job hunt. Could you reset your strategy today?