Navigating the Job Search After Leaving a Toxic Work Environment
Jobscan.co is an excellent resource for those looking for jobs in any career. During Mental Health Awareness Month, they shared a number of blog posts for candidates to consider. Author Jessica Nath shared the following sobering statistics:
- Almost one in five workers said they have experienced a toxic work environment. These experiences include sexual harassment as well as bullying. (CNBC)
- More than half — 55 percent — reported facing “unpleasant and potentially hazardous” conditions at work. (CNBC)
- Nearly one-quarter of workers said they dread going to work. (SHRM)
- One in four workers reported feeling disrespected and unvalued at their jobs. (SHRM)
- 25 percent of workers reported not feeling safe voicing their opinions about work-related issues. (Civility Partners)
- One in five people also reported leaving their job in the last five years due to culture. (SHRM)
Below are some of the suggestions offered for those experiencing the stress of wanting to leave a bad work environment:
Detoxing after leaving a toxic work environment
After leaving these workplaces, the thought of a job search can feel overwhelming and scary. So where do you start? Pause — that’s what Bentsi-Enchill recommends. Similar to leaving toxic relationships, parting ways with a toxic workplace can leave you with a bit of baggage you need to first take the time to sort through.
Balancing your detox with your responsibilities
Below are a few questions you can ask yourself to help guide your job search and avoid re-entering a toxic work environment:
- What do you value about your job/skillset?
- What did you like about your previous job? Be specific.
- What did you dislike about your previous job? Again, be specific.
- What values do you hold when it comes to your work?
- How would you feel more fulfilled at your job moving forward?
- Why did you choose to pursue the type of work/industry you are in?
Focus on what you do have control over during the job search. That includes processing what you really want and need from your next job and using that information throughout your job search.
Minimizing stress during the job search
Even a normal job search can feel extremely stressful. There’s so much work that goes into doing it well, and it’s challenging to keep spirits high when facing any amount of rejection.
Talk to a professional in therapy
Bentsi-Enchill also recommends talking to a therapist, if possible, during the job search. He believes this is especially important if you are recovering from a toxic work environment.
“If you are able to have the space to process things that you are going through — it might be completely unrelated to job searching — that might impact how you show up in your job search,” Bentsi-Enchill said.
Finding a healthy workplace
After leaving a toxic work environment, the last thing you want to do is rush back into another toxic workplace. That’s why it’s so important to be as intentional as possible when trying to find your next job.
“Gaining clarity and figuring out what the ideal work environment would look like should help you be more savvy, more discerning as you move forward.” Bentsi-Enchill said.
He acknowledges there is a lot we can’t control when it comes to the job search, so it’s important to focus on what you can control.
Continue Navigating the Job Search After Leaving a Toxic Work Environment by Jessica Nath, from Jobscan.co, May 5, 2021
Additional Reading
Want to learn more about when it might be time to move on from your current job? Below are some additional posts on the topic:
Joseph Rios, Ed.D., publishes on Medium three times a week; follow him here to get each post in your email — and if you’re not a Medium member, you can join here.
Joseph works in non-profit workforce development, after 20 years working in higher education administration. He has a background in diversity, equity, and inclusion education, professional development, training, and leadership development. He’s the author of Tales of a Displaced Worker and The SAGA Facilitation Model.
