Navigating the Emotional Labor of a Job Search, with Alondra Canizal Hsu
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Job searching involves invisible emotional labor that can quietly erode your confidence and self-worth. According to Find Your Dream Job guest Alondra Canizal Hsu, constant rejection and uncertainty cause job seekers to question their value, especially when they don’t receive feedback or explanations. BIPOC, first-generation, and immigrant professionals face additional challenges through code-switching and navigating spaces not originally designed for them, often feeling pressure to minimize their cultural identity. The emotional toll manifests as self-doubt about accomplishments, comparison with others on social media, and attributing rejections to personal failings rather than market realities.
Alondra recommends building both formal and informal support networks – from family cheerleaders to professional “boards of directors” who can advocate and connect you with opportunities. She emphasizes tracking small wins throughout the process, setting boundaries to protect your mental health, and remembering that ghosting and rejection aren’t personal attacks. Managing emotional labor requires acknowledging these feelings as normal, seeking community support, and maintaining perspective on what you can and cannot control in an unpredictable job market.
About Our Guest:
Alondra Canizal Hsu is a career strategist and the founder of Soluna Career Consulting.
Resources in This Episode:
- Connect with Alondra on LinkedIn and Instagram.
- Soluna Career Consulting
Transcript
Find Your Dream Job, Episode 516:
Navigating the Emotional Labor of a Job Search, with Alondra Canizal Hsu
Airdate: August 27, 2025
Mac Prichard:
This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life.
I’m your host, Mac Prichard. I’m also the founder of Mac’s List. It’s a job board in the Pacific Northwest that helps you find a fulfilling career.
Every Wednesday, I talk to a different expert about the tools you need to get the work you want.
Looking for a new job can be hard on your feelings. You may experience exhilaration, disappointment, excitement, and rejection, all in one day alone.
Alondra Canizal Hsu is here to talk about how to navigate the emotional labor of a job search.
She’s a career strategist and founder of Soluna Career Consulting. Alondra helps BIPOC, first-generation, and immigrant professionals navigate the job search with confidence, clarity, and cultural awareness.
She joins us from Portland, Oregon.
Alondra, let’s get started. What do you mean when you say a job search involves emotional labor?
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
So a lot of times when we’re talking about the job search, we think about the physical aspect of looking for a job or the parts that are more visible, such as going on the job boards and putting in your application, doing the interview, and salary negotiation.
Oftentimes, though, we forget about the invisible emotional labor that goes into our job search. By that, I mean the constant rejection that we might be getting that oftentimes comes with some sort of explanation.
And sometimes it doesn’t. And that can start to feel really, really depressing for the job seeker. It starts to feel like, “Well, what’s wrong with me? Am I not good enough to be applying? Am I applying for the wrong jobs?”
And you start to second-guess and you start to question your value, your personal value in this job market.
The clients I work with primarily are BIPOC, first-gen, and immigrant job seekers. And so a lot of times they have the weight of both financial, cultural, and familial pressure under them that makes the job search process even more difficult.
And then that’s where the emotional labor piece comes into play because oftentimes they’re finding themselves navigating spaces that were not created for them.
So many job seekers, it’s not just a resume, it’s the weight of trying to prove that they belong in spaces that weren’t even meant for us in the first place.
Mac Prichard:
And Alondra, what if you ignore emotional labor in your job search?
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
Yeah, that’s a really good question. Oftentimes, what I’ve seen happen is that it starts to chip away at our self-confidence. Chipping away at our self-confidence is something that doesn’t happen overnight. It’s something that over time, it starts to chip away.
We don’t hear from a job for three months, and we don’t know why we didn’t get the job, or we’re not seeing something that we’re passionate about applying to.
And over time, we start to feel like, is this really for me? And what that ends up doing is we start to second-guess ourselves and we start to question our values, our value, and our achievements in the job market.
“Did I really do that by myself? Did I really accomplish this? Am I really seeing who I am in this resume, or am I just, you know, putting glitter on it to make it more appealing to the job market, or is this really my value? Is this really what I bring to the table?”
So over time, it starts to chip away. And then the comparison game also comes into play. We go on LinkedIn, “Oh, that person got a job, and we started looking for work around the same time,” or “We’re in the same field, and now they have a job or they got a promotion.”
And so slowly that invisible emotional labor starts to come at play when we’re not talking about it with other people, or we’re just sitting with it and we’re ruminating on it. “Oh man, am I good enough for this? Am I meant to be doing this right now?”
Mac Prichard:
And say more, Alondra, about how emotional labor during a job search, especially if you don’t manage it and deal with it, can affect your sense of your own value and the opportunities that you pursue as you look for work?
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
Yes, definitely. What I’ve seen with job seekers is that they start to downplay what is actually proof of themselves and their accomplishments in the job market. By that I mean they start to question whether it’s something that they’ve actually done, which sounds crazy to think, “Like, no, you’ve actually done this.”
This is an accomplishment that you put work into, an accomplishment on your resume. And this is something that you bring value to the job market.
And so what that looks like is, well, “Maybe I shouldn’t be applying for that job. Maybe I actually don’t have these qualifications because I’ve been rejected for 10 of these jobs. So what am I doing at this point?”
And we start to attach our own personal value to these rejections. And we start to feel like it’s a personal attack on us at this point, that it’s somehow something to do with us as people, rather than our resume, or rather than the job market being what it is.
And also like the behind-the-scenes of what might be going on in the job market. We start to attribute the lack of getting job offers or the lack of hearing back after an interview, or hearing back after we put our application into the abyss. We start to attribute it to us personally. And that’s heavy. It’s extremely heavy for people.
Mac Prichard:
You work with BIPOC, first-generation, and immigrant professionals, Alondra. Do these groups experience emotional labor differently when they look for work?
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
Yeah, definitely. There is the component of code switching that comes into play with my clients, where professional job seekers have been taught that there’s a certain way that we present ourselves in the job market in order to be more valuable to where we’re applying, wherever we’re applying to.
And we’ve just been taught that whether we’ve been taught it formally through like mentorship that we’ve had or informally in the job market by subtle or sometimes not-so-subtle microaggressions of how we behave in the workplace.
And so when we’re applying in a job market that doesn’t value our cultural and our lived experience, we are taught to taper that down and to not bring it up necessarily or to change the way we talk in our interviews or even go as far as changing our name and resume so it doesn’t sound too quote unquote ethnic.
And all of that carries massive emotional labor because not only do you have the practical emotional labor of applying for work, but now you have the emotional labor of, “ Am I too much for this job space? Who I’m bringing as the whole me, it’s not fitting into this job market. So do I need to taper it down so that I get a job offer?” It’s heavy.
Mac Prichard:
It is. And I know we’re going to talk about how to manage emotional labor during a job search in a moment. I also do want to ask what, sometimes, when people have these experiences, they might feel shame or embarrassment as they deal with this emotional labor. What would you say to someone who might be having that experience?
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
That they’re not alone. They’re not alone in the process. A lot of this has to do with systemic oppression. It has to do with systemically the way that we’re navigating the system as people of color, as immigrants, as BIPOC job seekers.
And so I think the main thing is to normalize what they’re feeling, validate it. Like this is happening, and it’s okay that you feel that way. It’s a normal process to go through.
And also, there are resources to support you, and there are ways to navigate it.
Mac Prichard:
And what would you say to people who aren’t part of BIPOC communities who are also dealing with emotional labor and might feel some embarrassment or even shame about dealing with those challenges?
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
Yeah, I think the advice is the same, you know, remembering that it’s something that’s typical, that’s normal. Unfortunately, right now, validating that experience that it’s not them, it’s truly not them. It’s a job market that is unpredictable right now, so we might not know why our resume was rejected.
We might not know why we didn’t hear back. And even when we asked, like, “Can you give me some feedback on what I could have done better?” A lot of times for, you know, HR legal reasons, they’re not allowed to tell us or be direct with it. And so we take the data that we can from that experience and we use it to move on to the next.
Mac Prichard:
Alondra, we’re going to take a break, and when we come back, I want to talk about how you work with people to manage this emotional labor during a job search. So stay with us.
When we return, Alondra Canizal Hsu will continue to share her advice on how to navigate the emotional labor of a job search.
I’m talking with Alondra Canizal Hsu. She’s a career strategist and founder of Soluna Career Consulting.
She helps BIPOC, first-generation, and immigrant professionals navigate the job search with confidence, clarity, and cultural awareness.
She joins us from Portland, Oregon.
Now, Alondra, before the break, we were talking about emotional labor in a job search, and we talked about what it is, how it can affect your choices, not only as you look for your next position, but throughout your career. And the toll it takes on all job seekers, and especially people from BIPOC communities.
Let’s talk about how to manage this. You’ve got some strategies that you use with your clients. Let’s talk about a support network. I know you’re a big fan of turning to your support network when in a job search. How can it help you manage emotional labor when you’re looking for work?
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
The support network is really about leaning into our community. And so that can look a variety of different ways. It could be informal support from family or friends who see your value, see your worth, and can cheer you on right before you jump into an interview, you know, send you a simple text of, “You got this, come on, let’s go.”
It could also be more of a formal type of support network like a board of directors, if you will, for your job search where people who are formally advocating for you, where they are looking out for jobs for you that you could apply for, or they’re connecting you to other people who you could be doing informal informational interviews with.
There are people who are cheering you on. So in both cases, it’s about leaning on community, both from a practical perspective of you know, help me get my name out there, help me increase visibility, and really supporting each other in that process.
And then also from an informal perspective of emotional support from your loved ones, and letting people know you’re going through it. And the main thing is being open, being transparent. I’m going through this. I’ve been looking for work for so many months, so many weeks, and I’m just really feeling down and opening up to it because I think we’d be surprised by how many people have been there and want to help us along our journey.
Mac Prichard:
What would you say to a listener who feels uncomfortable saying that they’ve been out of work for a long period and are looking for work, and just find it hard to not only tell family and friends that, but colleagues as well?
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
Yeah, and I think that that’s definitely like a very real feeling. There is, you know, a sense of pride in the job that we have and the work that we do. And I think it’s really important to validate that. And at the same time, remember that people want to help you.
People want to help you navigate this emotionally. But people also want to hold you accountable. They want to see you succeed. And part of that is holding you accountable for the applications you said you were going to put in, or informational interviews that you said you were going to seek out.
Mac Prichard:
You mentioned a board of directors. Say more about that. How would you organize that group, and who would you ask to help you? Specifically, what would you ask them to do?
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
Yeah, I love this question because I think a lot of it is something that feels intimidating to us. Like, how do I get people to support me on this, and how do I do this in a way that is both formal and informal at the same time?
I think consider the people in your network who you value, whose career path you admire, and you’re a lot of times looking at it from the sidelines. I really like the way they navigated a new career transition or the way they got promoted, or the way they speak at different workshops that I go to.
So people whom you admire, people whom you aspire to be, and reaching out to them. Maybe it’s someone already in your network on LinkedIn, or maybe it’s someone already in your professional circle.
But reaching out to them with that ask. “I’m in the job search process. I need support with this. This is something that I would really appreciate your feedback on or connecting me with other people.”
And I think the ask has to be simple and has to be easy for the other person to do. And it has to be, you know, very direct, and to be there to be very honest, you have to do the bulk of that labor, the bulk of figuring out what it is that specifically that you’re asking for them to do.
So, for example, “Can you help me connect with this other person in your network? I would really love an intro from you to them so that I can get to know them better.”
And you can even go as far as like drafting that DM message or that email for them so that it’s easier for them to just plug, you know, little tidbits that they want to share with the other person.
But you want to make it as easy as possible for them. And I think another part of that is also not only asking for people, but also giving back in return. And that doesn’t have to be once you have a job.
That can be before you have a job as well, because you also have something to offer your community and something to offer your network. So, asking them, “How can I support you? How do I help you?” It’s very much a community feel rather than “I’m asking you for something or I’m giving you something.” It’s very much like we’re in this together.
Mac Prichard:
Another way you encourage candidates to manage emotional labor during a job search is to track your wins. Say more about that, Alondra. What do you mean, what kind of wins should people be keeping an eye on, and how does that help you manage emotional labor?
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
Yeah, often we think that the big one that we’re tracking is when we have that job offer. I think it’s important to track along the way the different steps that we take that get us closer to that.
So by that, I mean, if you finally sent out that informational interview email and you’ve been waiting for them to get back to you, and they finally got back to yo,u and you’re like, yeah, I’ve set up this coffee date with someone that’s going to share insight with me.
It’s those little wins of like, “I’ve been waiting to do it. I finally did it. I finally heard back, or I’ve been wanting to go to this networking event, but I don’t know anyone who’s there. I’m really nervous to put myself out there again, but I went to it or I went to the first half hour, and I put myself out there.” It’s those little wins that not only boost up your confidence, but also get you closer to that goal.
Mac Prichard:
Boundaries are important in life in general, but especially during a job search. How can setting boundaries help protect your mental health when you’re looking for your next gig?
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
It’s really about protecting your peace. It’s about setting blocks in your day or in your week that are for the job search process so that you’re focused in on that. And when there’s time outside of that, that you’re doing things that actually bring you joy, getting out in the sun, connecting with people, that reminds you that you’re a whole person.
Because it’s easy to go into the whole of job searching, to spend hours on LinkedIn, to spend hours on the job boards, and not really stepping outside of that and seeing your whole value outside of the job search process and connecting with people in real ways outside of your computer.
Mac Prichard:
Sometimes candidates might struggle with setting boundaries because it is urgent to find the next job. And so they think, “I’ve got to work on this 24-7.” What would you say to someone a listener like that?
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
Yeah, a lot of my clients definitely have that mentality coming in where they’re thinking, “I have to, you know, put in my time. The early bird gets the worm, and then the midday, you know, bird gets more food,” and it’s just like, keep going, keep going.
And at the end of the day, I think we have found that when they’re stepping away from it, it’s when they’re finding time to think about their wins or think about their accomplishments that also relate to their job search.
But there’s finding space, like breathing room to think about it in a way that lends itself more to just more productive thinking because there’s only so much that you can do in front of the computer for so many hours.
And sometimes when you’re on a walk or you’re talking with a friend, they’ll remind you, “Yeah, remember when you led that project at our old job? Like you did a great job of that.” Just stepping outside of yourself and getting some breathing room and protecting your peace.
Mac Prichard:
Let’s talk about ghosting, Alondra. How do you recommend listeners deal with ghosting? And you mentioned earlier the regular rejection you experience when you’re looking for work.
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
Yeah, I think, you know, remembering our value, remembering that it’s not about us. It’s not about anything that we did in that interview. Yes, are there things we can improve on? Of course.
Of course, there are things that we can improve on. We could always interview better. We can always do a million different things with our resume. And you’re welcome to do all of that. And all of that is going to be helpful in your job search.
But at the end of the day, we have to remember that the people interviewing us are people. And for whatever reason, you know, they didn’t get to tell us why we got rejected or we didn’t get to hear back, you know, honest feedback.
And that’s okay. It’s not about us. It’s about this process that we have little control over. And it’s about bringing it back to what we actually do have control over.
Mac Prichard:
I enjoyed our conversation. Now tell us, Alondra, what’s next for you?
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
I am launching my in-person resume workshops that people can drop in here in Portland, Oregon. And people can also learn more about my services through my newsletter.
Mac Prichard:
And we’ll be sure to include your website in the show notes. That’s solunacareer.com. And I know you also invite listeners to connect with you on LinkedIn and Instagram.
When you do reach out to Alondra on LinkedIn, I hope you’ll please tell her that you heard her on Find Your Dream Job.
Now Alondra, given all the great advice you’ve shared today, what’s the one thing you want a listener to remember about how to navigate the emotional labor of a job search?
Alondra Canizal Hsu:
Your self-worth is not up for review. Your resume is, but not your self-worth.
Mac Prichard:
Next week, our guest will be Theresa White.
She’s the founder of Career Bloom. Her company helps you find the career you’re meant to do and the steps you need to take to land the job. Theresa also hosts the Career Clarity Unlocked podcast.
You’ll likely change jobs as many as a dozen times in the 40 years you may spend in the workplace. How can you be sure you’re choosing the right positions?
Join us next Wednesday when Theresa White and I talk about how to get clear about your career.
Until next time, thanks for letting us help you find your dream job.
This show is produced by Mac’s List.
Susan Thornton-Hough schedules our guests and writes our newsletter. Lisa Kislingbury Anderson manages our social media and creates our transcripts.
Our sound engineer and editor is Matt Fiorillo. And our music is by Freddy Trujillo.
This is Mac Prichard. See you next week.
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