"I would rather have steak stapled to my body and be thrown into shark-invested waters than have to go through a job search."-Lilith L., happily employed Senior Computer Specialist, in a posting to a networking forum.

Perhaps you feel like Ms. L. quoted above. She is not alone in thinking that job search equals job search stress. Most people find it anxiety-provoking and unpleasant to hunt for a new job. Finding and landing new employment can be challenging, but here are some ways to make it more manageable and less awful:

An important way to reduce overwhelm and job search stress is to narrow your focus. Define what you want, write a structured game plan to achieve your goals, and then share the information with a friend. Dr. Gail Matthews of Dominican University conducted a study about the value of writing down goals and she found that people who wrote down their goals, shared this information with a friend, and sent weekly updates to that friend were on average 33% more successful in accomplishing their stated goals than those who merely formulated goals.

Also, stay focused on the present. Do not think, "I hate doing this and I am going to have to keep doing it every week for month after month after month..." In psychology-speak, exaggerating the bad is called, "Awfulizing." Instead of awfulizing, just follow your plan and trust that good results will come from your effort.

If you find that your anxiety prevents you from doing the step above, try one of the following proven stress reducers: exercise, meditation, yoga, listening to music, escaping into a good book for awhile, and spending time with good friends who will ask about your job search when you want them to care and leave it alone when you just want a break.

Vary your approach. For every six resume / cover letter packets you send to prospective employers, attend a professional event in your industry. Choose events that offer both the opportunity to learn something new and to meet other professionals. If you cant say for sure which events would be helpful for your particular circumstances, back up and spend some time clarifying where you want to go next and what you have to offer once you get there. By investing some time up front in self-exploration, you will avoid spinning your wheels by prematurely trying to implement a job search without a road map.

As you begin to implement your game plan, pay attention to the feelings that arise. Sometimes action creates momentum that fuels forward progress. But other times, action triggers resistance. Kurt Lewin, a well-known social and organizational psychologist, said that the best way to understand something is to try to change it. When change triggers resistance, explore the resistance, because doing so yields clues to feelings that may sabotage your career success. Once you know the resistance is there, you can do something about it.