High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Is Job Hopping Really Just a Basic Human Need?

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• Is Job Hopping Really Just a Basic Human Need?: "Many people in the workforce have seen their parents and older colleagues reach the end of their careers only to wonder what the sustained effort added up to. So they make career changes to stay engaged, clear space for the personal lives, and pursue side projects and passions outside of work."

• Three Ways to Bounce Back After Adversity: "Failing can open up the chance to improve the skills you currently have and gain insight into what makes you unique."

• How to Get Better at Dealing with Change: "Reminding ourselves of what’s important to us — family, friends, religious convictions, scientific achievement, great music, creative expression, and so on — can create a surprisingly powerful buffer against whatever troubles may be ailing us."

• 6 Tips for Smart Risk-Taking: "What is the worst thing that will happen if this does not go as planned? If the worst thing happens, can I work around it? How would failure impact my other goals? Am I OK with that impact? If I'm comfortable with the answers to these questions, I'll move forward."

• How Complaining Rewires Your Brain for Negativity: "All the extra cortisol released by frequent complaining impairs your immune system and makes you more susceptible to high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. It even makes the brain more vulnerable to strokes."

The Symptoms of Stress and How to Deal With Them

In Tuesday's blog post, I explored the inevitable changes that transitioning veterans face. However, change - and the stress that comes along with it - are not isolated to just veterans. It is important to recognize all the symptoms of stress. In order to manage stress, you need to first be able to recognize its cause and identify its signals - both in yourself and in others around you. There are four main symptoms of stress:

Cognitive Symptoms:
These symptoms are all related to the function of our brain. When experiencing cognitive symptoms you may have these issues:

• Trouble remembering things
• Challenges trying to remain focused
• Making decisions with poor judgment
• Constant worry, anxiousness or racing thoughts
• Pessimistic approach or outlook

Emotional Symptoms:
Emotional symptoms affect how we feel and react to the world around us. A few examples of emotional symptoms:

• Moodiness
• Irritability or short-tempered
• Trouble relaxing due to constant agitation
• Feeling lonely, isolated or overwhelmed
• Depression or overall unhappiness

Physical Symptoms:

Stress can manifest itself in so many ways, including within our bodies. Check to see if you are experiencing any of these physical symptoms:

• Aches, pains and tension headaches
• Intestinal issues 
• Nausea or dizziness
• Chest pain, rapid heartbeat
• Frequent illness
• Extreme temperature changes in the body

Behavioral Symptoms

These symptoms are observable actions or demeanor that we can observe when the stimuli of stress becomes overwhelming. Here are some key symptoms:

• Eating more or less
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Isolating yourself from friends and family
• Procrastinating
• Neglecting important tasks
• Using alcohol, cigarettes or drugs to escape
• Nervous habits (nail biting, fidgeting, grinding teeth, etc.)

I would wager that most of us have experienced at least one of these symptoms. If you are like me, you have experienced one or more from each category! The question now is, what are you going to do about it? It is very important to have a stress management plan in place. Here are some ideas of how you can manage and control your stress levels:

• Take the time to identify the cause of your stress. Determine if it is something you can change or modify and put a plan in place to deal with the issue.
• Identify your support group and maintain relationships, no matter how much stress you experience.
• Take good care of your body by eating healthy, getting enough sleep, exercising and minimizing caffeine and alcohol.
• Don't let go of the things that bring you joy. Even in the midst of a very stressful job search you should still take time for yourself to enjoy your passions, hobbies, and recreational activities.

The Inevitable Changes Transitioning Veterans Will Experience

All veterans, whether you have served 2 years or 22 years, will experience extensive changes as you make the transition into working in the private sector. Of course military life is full of changes - changes in duty locations, being ready to deploy at a moment's notice if necessary, and changing assignments. However, there is security and a sense of constancy in the military that will be disrupted with your transition.

For many people, to varying degrees, change can be a major producer of stress. There are all sorts of uncertainties that lie ahead. Let's look at a few of the most common changes that veterans face.

• Job security. Although there has been some downsizing - or force shaping - happening in the military, for the most part service members don't have to worry about their employer doing massive layoffs or closing their doors unexpectedly.

• Friends and coworkers. Service members move wherever the military chooses to send them. When transitioning, many veterans choose to move across the country, thus leaving behind their close friends and the coworkers they are used to.

• Structure. Although you must be flexible in the military, you often know what to expect. No matter what is thrown your way, there is a very strict, rigid structure in place that you can count on. The fear of the "unknown" civilian world causes stress for many veterans.

• Freedom. You can't dress as you want, style your hair any way you want, get tattoos and body piercings where you want, or quit whenever you want in the military. The freedom that veterans face when they transition can be both freeing and daunting all at the same time. 

• Management Style. Military leaders take a "holistic" approach to managing their team. They get involved in their team's personal lives and their financial stability. In the military, it is as though you are a member of a very large family. Like most families, the military encourages mangers to stay current in what is happening in the members of their team's personal business. This approach does not happen in the private sector, in fact it is frowned upon. This change in leadership style can be difficult for service members to overcome.

Check back on Thursday and we will explore the different symptoms of stress and what you can do about it.