I completely burned out at my previous job and I couldn't take it anymore, so I quit two weeks ago. I have savings to get me through about four months, but I'm not sure if I should look for something quick even if it's not ideal or wait for the right opportunity. What strategy would you recommend for my job search?
The key is not to let panic push you into a mediocre job that'll burn you out the same way in six months! With four months of buffer you've got time, so spend the first two or three weeks actually resting - your head needs to reset after that burnout. Once you've recovered, approach the job search as something structured: send CVs consistently every day (doesn't have to be a hundred, but they need to be regular), activate your network because a lot of the best offers never show up on job boards, and use the time to take some courses or polish skills that'll set you apart while you're waiting for interviews. The thing nobody mentions is this: negotiate from the position that you have time, not from desperation - that shows massively in interviews, and good employers respect that way more than someone desperate who's going to regret it in three months.
I'm at home and I know what it's like to make decisions without a safety net, so I get the anxiety, but four months is a decent cushion to not take the first thing that comes along if you really burned out. The key is to move fast on your job search (sending applications, networking, interviews) without pressuring yourself to accept something mediocre just out of fear; meanwhile, use that time to clarify what kind of role actually interests you, not just to escape the last one.
Log into answer.
