ATD Dallas Career Development SIG
Hosted by Cherron Castillo
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Many talent development professionals focus on career advancement and job search strategies, but rarely do we address the emotional and mental toll of prolonged unemployment. This one-hour interactive session tackles the “elephant in the room”: the mental beatdown caused by persistent rejection, recruiter ghosting, financial worries, discrimination, and other stressors. Participants will explore the cumulative impact of prolonged unemployment on mental and emotional well-being and discover actionable self-care strategies to maintain resilience, optimism, and motivation during this challenging period.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Identify the mental and emotional consequences of prolonged unemployment, including stress, anxiety, depression, and feelings of demoralization.
2. Recognize external factors (e.g., recruiter ghosting, automated rejection emails, discrimination, financial strain) that exacerbate emotional distress and understand their cumulative impact.
3. Apply practical self-care strategies to maintain emotional resilience and psychological well-being during extended periods of job searching.
ABOUT THE FACILITATOR
Dr. R. Mark Miles ("R. Mark") is an experienced learning and organizational development leader with more than two decades of experience designing leadership and workforce development programs across higher education, government, and corporate environments. He holds an Executive Doctorate in Education from the University of Alabama and MA in Organizational Communication from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, as well as, a PROSCI Change Management certification. Drawing from both professional expertise and lived experience, R. Mark speaks openly about the emotional and mental toll of prolonged unemployment and career uncertainty—topics rarely addressed in talent development spaces. His work centers on normalizing these experiences and equipping professionals with tools to care for their well-being during extended career transitions.
AGENDA
6:15 pm – Facilitator Joins
6:30 pm – Welcome & Announcements
6:45 pm – Facilitator/Presentation Time
8:00 pm – Meeting Concludes
LOCATION
ZOOM
REGISTRATION COST
- Member registration: Free!
- Non-Member Guest registration: $10
NOT ABLE TO ATTEND AS PLANNED?
Please cancel your registration by contacting info@tddallas.org
QUESTIONS
Contact 972-233-9107 ext. 224 or email info@tddallas.org
seonghwan.hwang@gmail.com
