3 People You Need When You're Looking for a Job

Looking for a job is stressful under any circumstances. If you're searching while employed, you're trying to be discreet and effective at the same time; if you're looking for a new gig while you're unemployed, you've got financial stress to cope with on top of conducting a professional search. No wonder, then, that experts advise you to assemble a pit crew to get yourself through the job search race.

The folks at the Grindstone and Come Recommended have a list of five people to seek out during your job search. These are the three that we've found most essential:

1. The Mentor

This person could be an old boss, a current or former colleague, or just an acquaintance whose career you admire, but most essentially, he or she must be willing to be honest with you. You don't want someone blowing smoke at you when you're looking for professional advice.

2. The Motivator

The cheerleader of your support team, this person will encourage you to keep going when you're feeling down. Pick a positive personality for this role, since you're hoping their attitude will rub off on you a little while you're toiling away at your resume.

3. The Friend

Finally, sometimes you just need someone who'll take you out for a drink or a cup of coffee and distract you from the grind. And distraction is the key, here: focus on having a laugh and forgetting about your search process for an hour or two, instead of wallowing, and you'll relieve stress while you're out having some much-deserved fun.

More from PayScale

How to Recover From a Bad Interview

Is Being a Workaholic Hindering Your Productivity?

5 Undesirable Jobs that Pay


(Photo Credit: Marion Doss/Flickr)


  1. Please prove to us that you're not a robot: