Job Hunting While Mercury is in Retrograde

If you aren't familiar with the concept of Mercury going retrograde, I can only assume you've been living under a rock. But what does it mean for Mercury to go 'retrograde' and how might that affect your quest for a job?

Let's break it down:

Mercury Retrograde is defined as a period of time in which the planet Mercury appears to move backwards in orbit - it doesn't actually of course. It's just an optical illusion from our vantage point on Earth, but within the realm of Astrology this retrograde observation can have serious side effects.

The planet Mercury is associated with things like communication, travel, information, and critical thought, so when the planet appears to move backwards or "goes retrograde", all of that goes haywire too. Emails get lost in the digital ether, flights are mysteriously cancelled, the exact time of that conference isn't listed on the event flyer, and you forget everything you'd had rehearsed for your upcoming interview.

Allegedly.

So Mercury is in retrograde and you need to find a new job. What's a girl (or dude, whatever, I'm not assuming) to do?

1.) This should go without saying, but for the love of all things sacred, please make sure there are NO TYPOS in your resume or cover letter before sending them off to a potential employer. Since your own judgement might be compromised during this perilous time, find a trusted friend or family member to look it over for you. A fresh set of eyes might catch any errors you missed.

2.) Like the old saying goes, cross your T's and dot your I's - make sure to read every job posting carefully before responding. I can't even tell you how many times this last week that I clicked submit on an Indeed job listing only to read afterwards that I was instructed to include a cover letter and email these things to a specific recruiter's email. Oops!

3.) Keep an eye on your email - when Mercury is in retrograde it's easy to miss an important email or forget to respond to something time sensitive, like a confirmation about attending an interview. My personal recommendation: refresh your email app often and DON'T delete anything. Just in case.

4.) Print multiple copies of your resume. Don't trust the printer not to mess up in a pinch. I keep at least 10 printed and stapled resumes on hand, in case I need to bring them to interviews with me.  There's nothing more cringe-y than having to admit to a recruiter that your printer malfunctioned and that's why you showed up empty-handed to your initial interview.

5.) Be adaptable - get ready to jot notes down on paper or reschedule a second interview at the last minute, recruiter's decision of course. Stay calm, keep an open mind, and don't worry too much since the retrograde never lasts too long anyways. You'll get through this.

A lot of people will recommend avoiding signing any new contracts, starting a new job, or taking on a new project during a retrograde period - I say they're being overly cautious, but it never hurts to be extra thorough - just double check everything, read all documents with an eagle eye, and don't be afraid to ask for clarification - in writing if need be.

For the year of 2019, Mercury will be in retrograde from:

March 5 - 28

July 7 - 31

Oct 21 - Nov 20

Helpful witchy tips: Amethyst, Citrine, and Selenite are good crystals to have on hand for communication and mental clarity. 

What are your experiences with Mercury in retrograde? Do you notice any difficulty during this time or is it smooth sailing as usual? Let me know in the comments!